Updated
The state government has scrapped plans for a multi-storey commuter car park at Engadine and, instead, will construct about 210 more at grade parking spaces on the eastern side of the train line at Heathcote.
The decision has angered Heathcote East community groups, who claim it is irresponsible and will endanger lives by adding to the time it will take to evacuate the area when bushfire threatens.
The new Transport Park&Ride facility, which will stretch north from the station on land owned by the rail authority, will have Opal card operated boom gates and provide up to 18 hours free parking each day.
The project was announced by Transport Minister Rob Stokes and Heathcote MP Lee Evans.
It will be one of the first car parks on the Sydney Trains network to have electric vehicle charging spaces. CCTV and bright lighting will be installed for security.
Mr Evans said work was expected to start about the middle of next year and take six to eight months to complete.
"The state government has already spent more than $30 million on access improvements to Heathcote station, including the bridge over Princes Highway, and it's a very under-utilised asset.
"Heathcote Station will receive more frequent services in the peak when the More Trains, More Services program is introduced."
Mr Evans agreed the new parking would probably be mainly used by motorists driving up from the Illawarra and catching the train to the City.
"It will relieve the pressure on the car parks at Sutherland," he said.
Mr Evans said he did not think the extra vehicles entering Heathcote East to access the new car park would be a problem despite traffic being a major concern of residents who opposed the Heathcote Hall development.
Mr Evans said, as part of the project, an element of the suburb's bushfire emergency evacuation plan, in which trains would be stopped and traffic directed across the tracks, would be "formalised".
A spokesman for Save Heathcote East, Phil Targett said the proposed "regional car park is irresponsible planning which puts lives at risk".
"The State government is ignoring the advice from the Rural Fire Service and Sutherland Shire Council, who caution against increasing the population of Heathcote East, either in dwellings or in vehicles, because increasing the number of people puts us at risk and limits access for emergency vehicles," he said.
"This decision is not 'sensible planning strategy' as the more vehicles we have in this already congested one square kilometre area, means more chance residents or motorists will die in an uncontrolled bushfire in this isolated bushfire prone area.
"The suburb is surrounded on three sides by 15,000 hectares of the Royal National Park and many more hectares of bushland to the mountains in the west and has a single bridge access into the area."
A spokesman for Residents Against Overdevelopment and East Heathcote resident Phil Smith said, "The NSW Liberals are in turmoil and it is showing in rash and senseless decision making".
Mr Smith said the suburb would become "a dumping ground" for residents in the Illawarra.
"Already this tiny suburb, which is just one square kilometre, with one tiny bridge in and out of the suburb is awash with cars," he said.
"In an emergency it will be impossible to get out."
Another resident, Patrick Kennedy, said that it seemed the suburb "has a target on it", attracting a lot of development, including the Heathcote Hall project, being chosen for a new off leash dog area and now Engadine's unwanted commuter car park.
During the 2019 state election campaign, then Premier Gladys Berejiklian promised a $25 million, multi-storey rail commuter car park with 210-spaces at Engadine.
Transport for NSW wanted to build the facility on the council-owned car park next to Coles, but the proposal was rejected by Sutherland Shire Council, which owns the land, and Mr Evans.
A major reason for their opposition was the impact a four to five storey car park would have on residents in the newly completed apartment complex The Gallery.
Mr Evans said other options to benefit commuters at Engadine Station were being examined.
Mr Stokes said in a statement the project was being delivered as part of the government's Commuter Car Park Program, which was designed to make it easier for customers who need to drive part of their journey to access public transport.
"Our commuter carpark program is a great success in ensuring people can get to public transport hubs and easily transition to the next stage of their journey," he said.
"It's fantastic news for the local community in Heathcote they will be the next to benefit from these additional parking spaces," Mr Stokes said.