Helensburgh Storage Site

Helensburgh, we’ve heard you

In March 2021 we advised you about our intention to transport clean material from our Waterfall Stabling Yard and Platform Extension project to storage sites in Helensburgh.

Thank you to those of you who contacted the More Trains, More Services project team to voice your concerns about the access route along Wilsons Creek Road and Parkes Street to the storage site.

In response to the feedback received, we reconsidered the access route options and proposed the use of Cawleys Road as the primary access route to the storage site and would only use Wilsons Creek Road and Parkes Street during inclement weather.

We requested community feedback on our proposal by asking you to have your say by email, by completing the feedback form on the website or attending our online community information session.

Thank you for your feedback.

70 per cent of the submissions received supported the use of Cawleys Road.

The key issues raised by submissions included:

• Safety concerns regarding the use of Wilsons Creek Road
• Support for the reuse of the material to upgrade Cawleys Road, walking tracks and fire trails
• Assurance regarding the protection of flora and fauna
• Ongoing management of Cawleys Road to ensure that it does not become a main thoroughfare. Cawleys Road is to be preserved for bushwalking, mountain bike riding and use as a fire trail
• Suggestions to store material at the northern end of Cawleys Road.

The decision

Planning approval has been granted by Transport for NSW and National Parks and Wildlife Service for the use of Cawleys Road as the only access route.
This means that Wilsons Creek Road and Parkes Street will not be used as an access route on any occasion. If Cawleys Road cannot be used due to inclement weather, material will not be transported to the storage site.

The planning assessment process

All submissions received were provided to the planning team for review and consideration during the planning assessment process.
National Parks and Wildlife Service have assessed the access route through Cawleys Road and have approved its use by Transport.

The storage of clean material and sandstone from the Waterfall project for reuse was assessed by Transport for NSW. It was considered the preferred option rather than storing material on National Parks and Wildlife Services’ managed land.

As part of the planning approval process, key environmental impacts including, but not limited to ecology, noise, dust, traffic and water quality were assessed.

The benefits of storing the material for later use

• The NPWS, the Rural Fire Service and Sydney Trains can re-purpose stored sandstone and clean material to upgrade assets including fire trails, roads and walking tracks.
• The site has been chosen as it is located close to where the material will be reused. This will save double handling of the material.
• The proposal will deliver substantial sustainability outcomes by being able to reuse crushed sandstone and clean material which will be used to upgrade roads, walking tracks and fire trails
• Transport for NSW (TfNSW) will avoid sending 35,000 tonnes of excavated material to landfill
• It will save at least $3.5M financial cost to government in quarry fees
• Upgrades to Cawleys Road have been undertaken, which will benefit the community, National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Rural Fire Service.