More than two years after the State Government was in a rush to complete the process of locking in land for the M9 Outer Sydney Orbital Corridor, affected owners are saying they’re in limbo.
In 2018 bureaucrats drew lines on a map, pictured, and affected land owners were informed their properties would be required for the giant road and rail transport corridor that would ultimately connect north western and south western Sydney.
The Western Sydney Airport under construction at Badgerys Creek would be right in in the centre of this visionary infrastructure.
However, when made public the proposed route was a disaster and few landowners affected cheered when they found out.
But with an election less than a year away, the state government quietly put the corridor plans on the backburner.
There has hardly been a whimper about the M9 Outer Sydney Orbital Corridor since then, and that worries affected land owners like Ray Smith, whose eight acre property sits half way between Menangle and Douglas Park.
In 2018 he was appalled to find out his property would be affected, but not so the 300 acres next door owned by the government department, the RMS.
But he is equally appalled that when he sent a courteous letter to NSW transport minister Andrew Constance asking for an update he was fobbed off by a departmental bureaucrat for his troubles.
“Especially right now with the pandemic, everyone affected by the Orbital would like some certainty, but the minister just couldn’t be bothered to respond to my letter,’’ says Mr Smith.
“We have no idea what’s going on now, we’re all in the dark.’’
The Wollondilly resident sent his letter to Mr Constance on May 25 and in it he said:
“Could you please advise when your government intends to gazette the M9 Outer Sydney Orbital Corridor, as it has been more than two years since I and many other people received letters from Transport NSW advising that they intended to compulsory acquire our properties.
“In May 2018, I attended a meeting in Camden where the member for Camden at the time Chris Patterson told the audience that his government wanted to gazette the corridor by September of that year, so as to give people certainty, this is more than two years ago.
“Property owners are reluctant to improve or sell their properties because they are under the intent of compulsory acquisition, this is a terrible situation people find themselves in, and frankly it is not good enough, once again Minister could you please advise when your government intends to gazette stage 1 of the Outer Sydney Orbital.’’
The response to Mr Smith from the transport department bureaucrat arrived on July 1, and it said, among other things:
“Thank you for your correspondence to the Minister for Transport and Roads about the Outer Sydney Orbital. As you may appreciate, the Minister receives thousands of items of correspondence each year. Transport for NSW is therefore responding to you directly.
“The Outer Sydney Orbital is a proposed strategic motorway and dedicated freight rail line connection, ultimately between the Central Coast and the Illawarra, via Western Sydney.
“The proposed future transport corridor would provide a major transport link between the
North West and South West Growth Areas, connecting with the planned Western Sydney Airport and future employment lands. It would also support growing communities, businesses and the creation of new jobs in Western Sydney, and allow for freight to move efficiently and safely by rail.
“As you are aware, in 2018, Transport for NSW began extensive community and stakeholder consultation on the proposed orbital, including exhibition of the recommended corridor.
“Strategic planning continues, however, there is no timeframe yet for when the corridor will be confirmed.
“It should be noted that construction of the future transport link in the corridor is anticipated to be many years, even decades away.
“Land would not be acquired until close to the time of construction.
“Transport for NSW is working with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment on a final alignment and will advise the community when there are updates.’’
Mr Smith says that he has also approached his local member, Nat Smith and Camden MP Peter Sidgreaves but they have not been able to help so far.
“They can’t find out anything,’’ says Mr Smith, who plans to continue pushing for information from the government.
“This thing has been a complete bungle and now we’re also in limbo,’’ he said.
