Projected noise and vibration impacts on residents resulting from the Pacific Highway bypass of Macksville, were discussed at a public meeting with RTA representatives last week (24th).
Nambucca Shire Mayor Rhonda Hoban attended the meeting. She said it was evident that the RTA and council could not reach level ground on the issue.
Representatives from the consultancy firm SKM (which produced studies for the RTA’s environmental assessment) met with members of the public to explain the findings outlined in the noise and vibration section of its report.
Cr Hoban told the Guardian News that as a result of the meeting, council would include new conditions in its submission to the RTA for the planned Pacific Highway upgrade.
“It is council’s intention to put in a submission to the RTA before the closing date,” Cr Hoban said.
“I wasn’t happy with the answers given to questions posed regarding what will happen to residents once construction of the highway is complete.”
Cr Hoban said, according to the RTA, any vacant block zoned residential, without a dwelling on it prior to completion of the highway, would not be eligible for noise treatment or compensation.
“That is not fair, not when it is an existing residential lot with the sole purpose of having a home built on it,” Cr Hoban said.
“That will also devalue the land. One of the conditions that we want, is for the RTA to come back once the upgrade is complete and carry out noise and vibration tests again.
“Where the noise target outlined in the environmental assessment cannot be met, we want a provision that the RTA will provide the homeowner with treatment or compensation.”
Cr Hoban said that council would include in its submission a condition for acquisition entitlements made available for homes exposed to unacceptable noise levels.
“I want to make sure there is recourse for residents.”
For one landowner there will be no recourse once the highway goes through, as it will literally go through his land and change his family’s life permanently.
Local resident Greg Clarke said that at the meeting, RTA representatives acknowledged that he lived in a quiet area that would undergo a massive change from the highway.
“They discussed compensation, but there is none for noise, only for loss of value associated with the highway,” Mr Clarke said.
“There will be a huge issue at Macksville with noise.
For Greg Clarke and his family, the highway will probably force them to leave because of the change in their amenity.
“Noise is the real issue about the highway, that is what impacts upon lives.”
Council decided at its February 4 general meeting that a peer review of the noise and vibration section of the enviromental assessment would be conducted, in order to determine how residents would be affected by noise in terms of what compensation or measures would be necessary.
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