Background to this post

In this blog post I address the impact of the Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy (PPPS) (December, 2020) on the area where my family reside. Some of the changes foreshadowed are positive but whether positive or negative, they involve major and permanent change in the workforce and population of the area. This is not an anti-development post, rather it’s about the importance of good planning with adequate social infrastructure.

In expressing my concerns I must highlight inadequacies in public space provisions, the impact of planned tall buildings on the area’s character and topography.

Recommendations in the PPPS call for development to align with the principles of enhancing the area and respecting local characteristics.

Impact on my family

Members of my family live in the building, marked 2-10 in red (see Figure 1). The building is situated in front of the sandstone escarpment formed by the working face of the former Paradise Quarry. Both this building and the existing building at 26 – 38 Saunders Street are oriented to the alignment and scale of the escarpment. There is a topographic consonance.

The Planning Proposal for Ultimo Pyrmont has significant negative impacts on my immediate neighbourhood. It allows for construction of a building at 26 – 38 Saunders Street with ground floor retail plus 33 storeys and 6 storeys. This is out of accord with the nature of the immediate environment (See Figure 2).

There appears to have been no fine-grained analysis of the topography, heritage, existing built environment, or community aspirations in the Planning Proposal particularly as it applies to my immediate neighbourhood, yet the plan is supposed to:

• ensure appropriate levels of sun access is maintained to existing habitable rooms.
• minimise overshadowing of existing residential
• conserve heritage values.
• offer good design for wind and noise.
• match land use to place.
• consider public views

Following are some major negative impacts of the plan, if it was put into practice.

Negative Impacts of the 26-38 Saunders Street Proposal

Decreased sun access and increased overshadowing of properties and public space

Tara apartments at 2-10 Quarry Master Derive, Carmichael Park, The Knoll Park and Garden and apartments on Distillery Drive will lose of sun access and be subject to overshadowing should the 26-38 Saunders Street Pyrmont development (SP61725) be implemented.

Tara will be most dramatically affected, but and future developments on Blackwattle Bay foreshore will likely add to this overshadowing problem.

Noise pollution

Demolition and construction proposed in the neighbourhood, particularly at 26-38 Saunders Street, a mere 18 metres from 2-10 Quarry Master Drive, will be very difficult to bear.

The street is already noisy over a day with resident’s transport, delivery vehicles, technical trade vehicles, Council waste removal vehicles and street sweeping equipment is most audible.

Sounds of conversations throughout the day and night are also most apparent.

The physical conditions of the immediate vicinity, hard surfaces and the escarpment created by the working surface of Paradise Quarry contribute to the strong resonance of noise potentiate the noise problem.

Even the noise of caisson being sunk at the new Sydney Fish market site was most audible from 2-10 Quarry Master Drive.

Demolition, excavation and construction a mere 18 metres from Tara will be create a huge noise burden, as it will on the residential buildings further along Quarry Master Drive. 

Wind

Increasing the height of at 26-38 Saunders Street, notwithstanding the small street widening, will exacerbate the wind tunnelling effect.

Physical Health

Dust from demolition of the Venetian apartments at at 26-38 Saunders Street and construction of the new building will add to dust in the area. The likelihood of this hazard is recognised by NSW Environment and Heritage which offers an extensive list of dust and air pollution hazards associated with demolition and construction.

This will add to existing dust levels in the vicinity’

Mental Health

The construction phase for all the proposed changes in the neighbourhood, projects A, B, C and D (See Figure 1) will result in a considerable increase in noise, over an extended period. It is likely that this noise will continue beyond the official demolition and construction hours, as workers arrived ready for work and spend time preparing to leave after their working day.

Construction noise can have several negative impacts on health and well-being:

• Chronic Stress: Leads to anxiety, irritability, and reduced concentration.
• Sleep Disturbances: Disrupts sleep patterns, causing fatigue and decreased cognitive function.
• Hearing Loss: Noise exposure can result in hearing loss, affecting social interactions and relationships.
• Negative Emotions: Increases negative emotions, potentially leading to mental health issues and unsafe behaviour.

It’s clear that managing construction noise is crucial for maintaining a healthy environment.

There is an increasing body of research on this problem. Here is one recent piece of Australian research extending over a 19-year period.

The degrading of the environment at 2-10 Quarry Master Drive with a 33-storey block towering above it is likely to create a sense of loss of privacy and physical confinement.

Impact of Pyrmont-Ultimo Transport Plan

Implementation of this plan will eliminate the dangerous crossing of cyclists using the ANZAC bridge cycleway and result in removal of the Saunders Street cycleway. Reference.

Unfortunately, all the proposed developments in Saunders Street and Quarry Master Drive area will most likely result in a major increase of vehicular traffic. The impacts on neighbourhood appear to directly contradict the Objectives of the Transport Plan as they relate to safe movement of pedestrians.

Excessive increase in population density

The respective population densities of Pyrmont and Ultimo are very high

Ultimo has 12,734 persons per sq kilometre, and Pyrmont has 12,458 persons per sq kilometre.  These densities exceed that of Singapore, 8332 persons per sq kilometre in 2024, the world’s third most densely settle country.

The proposed Blackwattle Bay development allows for a significant population, and it is unclear as to why the already densely settled Quarry Master Drive/ Saunders Street area requires a further increase in population.

Topographic discontinuity

The plan for 26-38 Saunders Street is a major increase in height that does not respond to the topography of the site most notably proximity to the escarpment. While existing buildings are consonant with local topography what is proposed is dissonant.

A necessary State level response

The NSW Government should re-evaluate targets and reduce commercial space, enable more housing near Pyrmont Metro. The Pyrmont Peninsula Planning Proposals must be put on hold until a thorough review has taken place.

There is an immediate need to reduce height limits through the whole area to ensure that both existing and proposed housing is not subject to overshadowing, excessive noise or inadequate access to public transport. There is also a need for provision of affordable housing, including public housing, more green spaces and a diversity of recreational facilities.

In short, it is important that changes are aligned with community needs protecting the quality of life, ensuring the maintenance of environmental conditions, public amenities, heritage buildings, and conservation areas. This is not inconsistent with moderate height increases and mixed-use zoning for select sites.