Guide to the Environmental Impact Statement
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) describes the proposal for Bank Street Park and assesses the potential impacts It includes a list of technical impact assessments which are summarised in the EIS.
The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 outline the requirements for an EIS for State Significant Development projects in NSW. The legislation specifies that an EIS must assess the project against Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs), which are issued by the Department of Planning and Environment. You can view the project's SEARs on the Major Projects portal.
Consultation and engagement has been carried out with the community and stakeholders during the design process and environmental assessment to ensure key potential impacts have been identified at an early stage. The EIS describes how impacts have been avoided or where appropriate mitigation measures developed to manage any impacts.
Each chapter is summarised below and linked to DPE's Major Projects portal.
Chapters 1 - 2: Introduction and strategic context
Provides information about the applicant, existing site, project and Blackwattle Bay State Significant Precinct Study and rezoning.
Chapter 3: Project description and construction overview
Describes the Bank Street Park project subject to the State Significant Development Application.
View the video: Introduction to the design concept
Construction overview
| Park area | 1.1 hectares |
| Estimated tming and duration | 2024 to 2026 |
| Construction hours | Construction hours are proposed to be in line with City of Sydney Code of Practice 1992 – Construction Hours/Noise within the Central Business District. Construction hours are summarised below.
|
| Proposed construction staging | It is proposed to construct the park in two stages, as follows:
|
| Park management | Bank Street Park will be retained in State Government ownership. Placemaking NSW will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and management of the park and Transport for NSW will be responsible for managing the marina. |
Chapter 4: Statutory context
Outlines all relevant legislation, environmental planning instruments (EPIs) (including proposed EPIs), plans, policies, and guidelines.
For more information:
Appendix E: Blackwattle Bay Design Guidelines Assessment
Chapter 5: Community engagement
Outlines the engagement activities that have been carried out with communities and stakeholders and summarises feedback received to date. It also outlines future engagement to be carried out for the project.
For more information:
Chapter 6: Assessment of impacts
The project is subject to design excellence requirements and has been prepared in accordance with a Design Excellence Strategy to ensure design excellence will be achieved. The park has been deliberately designed with functional areas that respond to existing features on site and seeks to minimise conflict between uses. New and adapted built form is concentrated in the northern corner of the site with existing buildings. The multi-purpose court and dragon boat storage are situated under Anzac Bridge and play areas are located together. The park features are connected by a path network and complemented by endemic native planting that respect Country.
For more information:
The planting strategy will utilise plant species that would once have occurred naturally on the Pyrmont peninsula and respond to micro-climatic conditions including aspect, topography, wind and available moisture.
Vegetation will provide a diversity of habitat for fauna and avi-fauna and provide shading and cooling in summer and wind protection in winter. Bank Street Park will comprise vegetation that works in unison with the proposed constructed soils to create a circular system which would have occurred naturally.
Existing trees were retained wherever possible and over 110 new trees are proposed to be planted on the site to provide amenity benefits as well as increase canopy cover in the area.
For more information:
The proposal will not result in any adverse impacts on native vegetation due to the highly disturbed nature of the site, which was extensively cleared more than 100 years ago. Proposed native planting and tree canopy targets will significantly improve biodiversity within the site. No impacts are expected to threatened species or habitat and specific mitigation measures have been provided to minimise any potential impacts.
The proposal is expected to have a long-term benefit to marine habitat due to improved seawall and habitat connectivity. Impacts have been assessed and mitigation measures included to manage impacts during construction and operation.
For more information:
Bank Street Park contains two listed heritage items (Anzac Bridge and Glebe Island Bridge) which will not be adversely impacted by the proposed development. Existing Buildings A-D at 1-3 Bank Street are considered by GML Heritage as having local heritage significance as a remnant maritime industrial complex in Blackwattle Bay. A preliminary heritage interpretation framework has been prepared to ensure key themes (Aboriginal heritage, colonial industry and migrant fishing) are integrated within the design of the park. All heritage items ) within the vicinity of the site, including built heritage, landscapes and archaeology were assessed for their significance to the site and assess any impacts the proposed park may have on the significance of the site and on nearby heritage items.
For more information:
Traffic and car parking
The proposed development will not result in any adverse traffic impacts on the surrounding road network, and parking demand associated with the proposed development can be accommodated.
The existing informal car parking on site used by the dragon boat clubs will be removed as part of the project and no on-site parking is included in the proposal to maximise space for the public park.
The proposal includes a separated bi-directional cycleway on the western side of Bank Street, connecting into an existing and future bike network. Approximately 30 bike parking spaces will be provided on the site.
Construction traffic
During construction, a variety of vehicles will be required to access the site . Where practical, construction traffic movements to/from the site during peak hours will be minimised to reduce the impact on the wider road network. Special permits and approvals will be required to bring in larger and oversize vehicles during the works if required to manage construction impacts.
Given the location of the site, workers will be encouraged to use public transport as a means of access. There will be limited or no on-site parking for construction workers.
For more information:
Attended and unattended noise surveys were conducted to establish the ambient and background noise levels of the site and surrounds. During construction, works are capable of compliance with the relevant noise management levels and a Construction Noise and Vibration Management Plan will be developed to manage the noise on the surrounding community.
During operation, noise emissions from the community, café and marina building have been assessed against Noise Policy for Industry between 7am and 6pm daily and is expected to comply without additional acoustic mitigation. Noise from the multi-use court between 7am – 10pm is expected to comply with the relevant noise criteria. Mitigation measures are recommended to ensure that the use of whistles and the use of the court after 10pm is minimised.
For more information: