I write as the Federal Member for Hume who represents many communities along the proposed M9 Outer Sydney Orbital Corridor (Corridor).

I’ve received hundreds of emails, letters and submissions from constituents about the Corridor and the detrimental impacts they believe it would have on amenity, property value and quality of life.

These comments from constituents (contained in submissions to Transport for NSW) encapsulate the level of Camden-district community angst:

“To entertain the idea of the M9 coming through the outskirts of Camden is nothing short of ludicrous. The impact to family homes, farms, schools, environment will be devastating and changed forever.”

“If at all possible can you please tunnel the road as it comes through Cobbitty and Ellis Lane to avoid destroying a magnificent piece of natural landscape and save hundreds of families heartache and irreparable human damage.”

“I am very concerned about the devastation that will occur to Cobbitty Village, it will not survive with a huge 8 lane road and 24/7 freight Rail dividing it in half.”

“The proposed route has a very close alignment with Northern Road, why not move the proposed OSO much further west?”

“I am not opposed in principle to an orbital road for Sydney as I understand we need better transport to make Sydney livable, but please protect Camden.”

“Our local community was denied the opportunity to input during the first stage of this process due to not knowing of its existence, poor advertising of consultation sessions, and news items and maps implying that the M9 and rail lines would be well north and east of Camden.”

“Any encroachment on the floodplains of Camden would have ongoing disastrous consequences for current and future residents. I see no need for the orbital out here and the relentless housing developments are blight on our country.”

“The development around Campbelltown has gone berserk. I would hate to see the same level of development moving through Camden, Cobbitty and Menangle and this proposed monstrosity scares me immensely.”

I share their concerns that consultation up until now has been poor and that more needs to be done to protect communities in my electorate most affected; specifically Cobbitty, and other localities on the edge of Camden (such as Ellis Lane, Brownlow Hill, Cawdor and Menangle).

The absolute priority is that Cobbitty must be preserved.

I met with almost 100 members of the local community at Cobbitty village on May 25, 2018 – these people are distressed about the proximity of the Corridor to their homes, local public school and significant heritage sites such as the 191-year-old St Paul’s Anglican Church.

The proposed Corridor would cut historic Cobbitty in half.

I implore Transport for NSW and State Planning authorities not to allow this to happen.

Re-siting the Corridor and/or tunnelling are options that must be explored. Another would be to use the existing Northern Road corridor.

Many residents are concerned about the impact of the proposed route on their current residences and in reviewing alternatives, minimising the impact on existing housing is crucial.

The Northern Road and the proposed rail corridor should be the spine of outer Western Sydney 

A clear message from Camden-district constituents along the Corridor route is that they don’t want it to become an urban growth corridor.

The purpose of an orbital is to divert traffic away from developed and developing areas, not to create new development corridors.

In my previous role as Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister developing the Western Sydney City Deal we sought to confine significant development to this ‘spine’ along the Northern Road.

Allowing uncontrolled development along new corridors perpetuates the mistakes of the past.

Making every submission count

I commend the NSW Government for planning for the long term transport needs of Western Sydney by identifying and protecting a corridor of land for future transport infrastructure.

But for the planning outcome to be right, governments must listen to their communities and respond.

Communities deserve a strong say on this proposal.

Any plans for urban development along the Corridor route must be made transparent in the next phase of community consultation.

I urge Transport for NSW to carefully and respectfully consider every individual submission made by constituents on the proposed Corridor – and to continue actively engaging with communities during the planning process.

Yours Sincerely,

ANGUS TAYLOR MP

Federal Member for Hume