Darlington School & Community Objection to USyd Development

To Whom It May Concern

I am writing as a parent of a child that attends Darlington Public School
regarding the proposed development by the University of Sydney,
MP 07_0158 – Abercrombie Street Precinct, Syd Uni.  Darlington
Public School is an inner city school
servicing the suburbs of Chippendale, Darlington
and parts of Redfern.  The school is
directly adjacent to the western border of the project.

I have major concerns that relate not only to the
construction phase, but also the proposed development in its current form.  Specifically, I have significant concerns
that its size, scale, and use of the land will adversely impact the Darlington Public School and its children. 

The following points highlight the areas that require review
given the unacceptable risks that they pose for the basic health and welfare of
the children and the school’s capacity to continue to develop a high level of
pre-school to year six education:

Construction phase

 1. Access point to the development site for all trucks and
deliveries.

The proposed access point for the site is on Abercrombie Street
and is directly adjacent to the school classrooms on their North East border of
the school site.  Locating the access
point for trucks would:

• produce
  unacceptable levels of noise and vibration in the school classrooms that
  border that entrance – year 2, 4, 6 and both kindergarten classes.  This is also particularly significant
  for the 2 kindergarten classrooms which face the development to the north
  with only glass panels and glass doors on that side.

• create
  an unsafe corridor for school children and parents that walk, or ride to
  school along Abercrombie
  Street (north side).  This includes many unaccompanied but
  young children entering and leaving the school.

• create
  an unsafe car drop off and pick up point on Abercrombie Street (the main drop
  off point at the school).

• reduce
  the drop off and pick up point area for numerous children who are
  transported by car.

Serious traffic incidents, involving the safety of children
and parents, in Abercrombie Street
and Golden Grove Street
pedestrian crossings, are currently the subject of ongoing discussions with the
Road and Traffic Authority, Police, City of Sydney,
Darlington Public School and the Darlington School
& Community Association.  To create
an additional point of traffic density in Abercrombie Street (and as this will
increase traffic down a hill – to the Golden
Grove Street pedestrian crossing), is an
unacceptable risk to the welfare of the students and operation of the school.

The Transport Impact Assessment incorrectly states that “the
main school access for students and other pedestrians is the Golden Grove
frontage main gate”.[1]  While this is the gate closest to the school
office, it is not the main access, as it only has three car parking spaces; the
others are taken by the high density residential complex opposite the
school.  It is also not the main entrance
as the Darlington
Public School drawing
area is predominantly to the east towards Redfern and Chippendale.  The children walking to school are coming
from this larger part of the drawing area and walking along Abercrombie Street or being dropped off
from the parking spaces with lower residential parking.  This parking is necessary for a school with a
60 place pre-school.

It needs to be stressed that the University of Sydney
properties are the only properties that would be impacted by the entry point
being in Codrington Street
or Darlington Lane.  Proposing an entry point in Abercrombie Street will
force trucks and plant to be transported through residential and school areas
to the project site.  The more direct
route is from City Road
to Codrington Street
and will allow access directly into the project site without passing through
residential areas or the proposed access that is within metres of classrooms,
or across the footpaths and pedestrian crossing that children use to access the
school.

The Transport Impact Assessment notes that the only rationale for not using Codrington Street is that it
is a ‘pedestrian spine’[2], which
is incorrect as during the construction activity the whole site will be in very
limited use by the University’s ‘pedestrians’. 
In addition, these pedestrians, predominantly adults, are better able to
navigate driveways and construction zones, presenting a lower safety concern.

The Environmental Assessment does not address these issues
sufficiently.  There is no recognition of
the impact on the amenity of the classrooms and play areas of a development of
this scale, particularly on primary age students who will be expected to learn
or play within a few metres of extensive demolition and building works. 

2. Air quality

There are significant concerns that the demolition and
excavation on the site will have an adverse impact on the health and safety of
the children at Darlington
Public School, and in
particular on the classrooms and play areas that border or face the development
site.

The Environmental Assessment
states that “parts of the Precinct, such as the potential fill areas, may
contain contaminants at shallow depth; Disturbance of the fill areas may
produce dust containing elevated levels of contaminants, particularly asbestos
fibres or lead.  Dermal contact,
inhalation and ingestion of contaminants may occur when the ground is uncovered
e.g. during building works or excavations.”[3]

There is no recognition in the
assessment documents of the risk of dust and contaminants on children who will
spend significant hours of the 24 month construction phase in play areas and
classrooms within metres of the demolition and construction site.  There is no risk assessment in regards to the
large number of 3 year olds (a particularly vulnerable population for dust contaminants)
that start at the 60 place preschool each year.

The assessment of risk of dust and contaminants must also be
extended to the classrooms inside the school due to the fact that Darlington
Public School is not air-conditioned and has un-flued gas heaters, so that all
year round the classroom windows must be open in order to provide enough
air flow in summer and ventilation of heaters in winter

The current proposal provides an unacceptable risk to the
health and safety of the children. The proposal must be varied or halted if
precautions cannot be taken to protect the children from the air pollution that
will be caused by the demolition, excavation and construction phases.

As this project will continue
for five years the impact on the school and children also needs to be
considered for the long-term impact on the health of school students, their
education and amenity over the length of the project.

3. Noise impacts

There is significant concern that
increased noise from the construction site on the border of the school will
have an adverse impact on the learning environment and welfare of students at
Darlington Public School, and in particular on the classrooms and play areas
that border or face the fence line. 

The project’s Noise Impact
Assessment concludes that noise associated with construction activities has
been found to exceed the noise management level of the Interim Construction Noise
Guidelines and that this
assessment
of noise impact has been based on a 2m high acoustic barrier being installed on
the western boundary of the site adjacent the school.[4]

This level of noise impact is unacceptable for the learning
environment of the school and as noted above, the school is even unable to shut
windows to address noise levels.

As this project will continue
for five years the impact on the school and children needs to be considered
for the long-term impact on the health of school students, their education and
amenity over the length of the project.

Development phase

1. Scale of the new Business Building

The new Business facility building will be seven stories
high, and with its location in the North
West corner of the school playground it will cause a
large shadow effect over the majority of the playground.

What consideration has been given to this impact, and the
requirement for natural light for the play areas, making it a suitable area to
play?

2. Use of the land for other purposes

The school has had an ongoing discussion with the University
regarding use of the ovals and other open space areas for the children to use
for playtime and sporting activities.  At
this point a good solution has not been reached.  Given that the University is proposing this
development it would be a benefit if grounds adjacent to the school could
include a multi-purpose ‘open space’ that would both benefit the school and the
community.  Can this be proposed and
evaluated with all the stakeholders?

It is noted that the University values the balance between
buildings and open areas on its main campus. 
How has this been taken into consideration with a similar view in the
Abercrombie Precinct?

3. Ongoing access point and traffic congestion on Abercrombie Street.

As per the current development plan, the proposal calls for
an underground car park to be built for the student accommodation and
University staff.  The car park will
accommodate 185 car spots, and its entrance will be on Abercrombie Street, at approximately the
same point of the construction access.

The concerns raised above about the access point to the
construction site are the same for this car park access point increasing the
risk to school children’s safety, in an area that has already been highlighted
through the respective organisations (Council, Police, and RTA). The increased
traffic flows and access point are an unacceptable risk to the children who
attend the school.  There is no
justification for this level of risk to a school community, particularly as the
University has another street frontage without school or residential issues
(the University being the only stakeholder for Codrington Street) and an access street
internal to project   (Darlington Lane).