Central Coast Council call for rail facility to move from Kangy Angy to Warnervale
CENTRAL Coast Mayor Jane Smith has called for the controversial new rail facility to be moved from Kangy Angy to Warnervale.
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MOVE the rail maintenance facility from Kangy Angy to Warnervale.
This is the Central Coast Council’s latest request to Transport for NSW, in an ongoing effort to prevent the $300 million development in Kangy Angy.
Mayor Jane Smith passed a mayoral minute this week, calling for the New Intercity Fleet facility to be moved to the site opposite the Link Road in Warnervale.
This site was floated by Transport for NSW in 2014. However, at the time, Wyong Shire Council council opposed the site as there was a proposal to build a university and link road.
The proposal has since changed, leaving the site free.
In the mayoral minute, Cr Smith said ongoing concerns regarding the development at Kangy Angy included significant impact on local residents, their lifestyle and environment.
“Importantly it destroys wetlands, contains endangered ecological communities and threatened species, including the recently discovered Mahony’s Toadlet,” she said.
“As a result, Transport for NSW will need to make significant efforts with regards to biodiversity offsetting.”
She said that the Warnervale site is zoned for industrial development and has less environmental issues.
However, Deputy Mayor Chris Holstein said the council’s recent briefing with Transport for NSW indicated the development was set in stone.
“I believe this motion will show support (for residents of Kangy Angy), but I don’t believe it will get a change in the government’s attitude,” he said.
“I sat in the briefing. It was made quite adamant that the decision is made and in concrete.”
However, he said “stranger things have happened in politics”.
Councillor Doug Vincent said while the facility must be on the Central Coast to generate more employment, he disagreed with the Kangy Angy location.
“There’s already trains going through Warnervale. I haven’t had any great push back from people of Warnervale,” he said.
Council’s group leader of assets, infrastructure and business Mike Dowling said the decision to build at Kangy Angy was made by Transport for NSW in 2014 and was due to the site being able to manage trains exiting the line at 80km/h without slowing the timetable up.
He said Transport for NSW had clear discussions with Wyong council around compulsory acquisition of the Kangy Angy site if the council did not sell it.
Susan Zgraja, who has been campaigning against the site at Kangy Angy, addressed the council and urged them to “right a terrible wrong that has been committed”. She said the Kangy Angy site required a $50 million bridge for access and had problems with flooding, endangered animal species and residents in proximity.
“Warnervale has none of these problems,” she said.
“You need to take steps to prevent the disaster. You need to be the cavalry over the hill. If you achieve nothing else in your tenure, you will be worthy of or vote.”