Intermodal to go ahead, but court to impose noise, biodiversity conditions

[dropcap]The[/dropcap] NSW Land and Environment Court looks set to impose major noise and biodiversity conditions on the Moorebank intermodal development.

In handing down its decision on legal action brought by RAID Inc (Residents Against the Intermodal Moorebank), the judge said the final conditions will be provided in a week.

RAID launched the Merits Appeal in the Land and Environment court with the NSW EDO in an attempt to deal with what it says are some of the most destructive aspects of the intermodal terminal development.

“Despite our best efforts as a community group, excellent legal support from the NSW EDO and financial support from Liverpool City Council, the project remains a looming disaster for the region,” said RAID Inc spokesperson Jennifer French

“It was our goal to stop the project going ahead, and that is still our goal.”

Ms French said RAID’s action set out to protect a critically endangered ancient plant species thought to be extinct for almost 200 years, to raise the issue of excessive industrial noise, and to ask the Land and Environment Court to undertake a full reconsideration of the approval of the large industrial shipping container facility.

The critically endangered Hibbertia fumana, thought to be extinct but recently rediscovered in the area of the development, wasn’t considered when the development was approved.

“Massive problems remain. The prospect of thousands of heavy trucks disabling our road network, which is already at capacity, the problems of diesel particulate pollution in our residential area, and further impacts on the environment, wildlife, and the Georges River, weigh heavily on residents,’’ Ms French said.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“We urge the Federal and State governments to concede that the Moorebank Intermodal is a mistake, and to cut off the river of taxpayers’ money that is funding it.[/social_quote]

“The business community has already turned its back on the project, with only one fully signed up customer for the Moorebank Logistics Park.

“Years of delays and attractive emerging opportunities elsewhere in Western Sydney are coupled with the obvious problems of an unworkable road transport environment and the position of the site in a residential area.

“These factors have caused the project to be rejected by the market, yet the zombie marches on,” Ms French said.

“The RAID v Qube case highlights the major flaws in the NSW planning process in dealing with this type of massive infrastructure project.

“It is a project that never had an overall plan and a proper cost benefit analysis. It has gone through the NSW planning system piece by piece, in a constant state of change.

“South West Sydney residents and their precious environmental assets deserve better treatment than this,” Ms French said.