UPDATE:
Kogarah Golf Club at Arncliffe will be severely affected by the location of a construction site for the twin tunnels in the new M5 link, which is part of the WestConnex motorway project.
The golf course will be reduced from 18 holes to nine holes during the construction period.
It’s a further blow to the privately-owned club which has battled declining membership and hoped to secure its future through the proposed Cooks Cove development, which has been stalled for more than a decade.
In a joint statement, the state and federal governments said the midway construction site for the new tunnels would be on land owned by Roads and Maritime Services and Rockdale City Council, which at present is used by the golf club (see story below).
An illustration on WestConnex’s website showed a large part of the golf course next to Marsh Street would be required.
It also revealed a possible permanent ventilation stack for the tunnels could be located within the zone.
‘‘The site was chosen as it eliminates residential property acquisition, reduces impact on the local community and avoids Wolli Creek bushland and the Tempe Reserve,’’ the website said.
‘‘WestConnex is working with the Kogarah Golf Club to minimise disruption and enable the club to operate a nine-hole golf course during construction.
‘‘Once completed, the land will be remediated and returned to the land owner, Rockdale City Council.’’
Community feedback was invited.
Call: 1300 660 248 or email info@westconnex.com.au
WestConnex said the community would also have an opportunity to comment on the environmental impact statement when it was exhibited later this year.
EARLIER STORY:
A site at Arncliffe, in the proposed Cooks Cove development area, has been chosen as the location for tunnelling work for the new M5 link in the WestConnex motorway project.
The state and federal governments said in a joint statement the site was on Roads and Maritime Services and Rockdale City Council land, used at present by Kogarah Golf Club.
It will be ‘‘an access point for underground tunnelling construction activities’’.
The statement said the WestConnex Delivery Authority was working closely with Kogarah Golf Club to minimise disruption.
NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Duncan Gay said the Arncliffe location was the most suitable across all short-listed tenders, eliminating residential property acquisitions and enabling future upgrades.
‘‘New M5 twin tunnels will run from Kingsgrove to St Peters, more than doubling the lane capacity along this critical corridor and slashing travel times for hundreds of thousands of motorists every day,’’ he said.
‘‘The location removes the need for residential acquisitions and enables early work to be done now for a future WestConnex southern extension, which would bring communities in southern Sydney even closer to the CBD.’’
What do you think of the location?
