University of Sydney welcome M9 Orbital

UNIVERSITY of Sydney, with current land holdings in Camden, Cobbitty, Bringelly and Mt Hunter, have welcomed the news of a M9 Outer Sydney Orbital.

The University of Sydney’s main campus (file image).

• LOCATION: Camden councillors urge route to go west

• UNITED: Community vow to ‘bring the noise’

• REACTION: “A bombshell we never wanted”

• ANNOUNCEMENT: “This will impact on people’s lives”

UNIVERSITY of Sydney, with current land holdings in Camden, Cobbitty, Bringelly and Mt Hunter totalling more than 1100 hectares, have welcomed the news of a M9 Outer Sydney Orbital.

With the proposed corridor currently impacting University of Sydney land at Camden, Bringelly and Mt Hunter, a university spokeswoman said it will welcome the key transport infrastructure.

The M9 Outer Sydney Orbital draft corridor.

“The University is very supportive of any improvement to access around western Sydney that gives our students and staff better access to campus,” she said.

“Any improvement to access and reduced congestion is good for all of Sydney.”

The M9 Outer Sydney Orbital draft corridor, impacting more than 200 properties in the Camden and Wollondilly areas, has triggered considerable community angst including the formation of a near 4000-strong M9 Outer Sydney Orbital Macarthur Action Group.

Close to 500 community members united at Cobbitty Public School hall on Wednesday night, following the announcement of the M9 Outer Sydney Orbital draft corridor. Picture: Daniel McGookin

The spokeswoman confirmed University of Sydney’s land has been impacted by the proposed corridor, with the route bisecting their Bringelly and Mt Hunter farms and crossing the Camden campus.

“The biggest impact is on our Camden campus,” she said.

“The University doesn’t have a preferred route, although we would prefer that any impact on our operations be minimal and will work with Transport for NSW to address this.

“We talk to all government agencies regularly.”

University of Sydney use their Camden and Cobbitty sites for agricultural and veterinary teaching and research, as well as research in engineering and environmental sciences.

The M9 Outer Sydney Orbital Macarthur Action Group has planned a community forum and rally on April 21, with community leaders expected to be present.

It will likely be held at Camden Civic Centre at 4pm, with more than 1000 people expected to attend.