Save the ADI site

The story so far

The site is 1500 ha containing one of the last remnants of Cumberland Plain Bushland, 120 species of bird, threatened species including the Green and Golden Bell Frog, and a population of wild emus and 2000 kangaroos.

The Commonwealth government decontaminated most of the site but at least 6 of the most highly contaminated areas are still contaminated (and fenced off) with concerns about chemical residues and low level radioactive waste (probably from radar manufacture and decontamination).

In 2001 the State Government rezoned the land, allowing 8000 home sites. This has since been reduced to 5000 sites.

The developers Lend Lease plan to split the site into 3 blocks of housing development, with the rest of the site remaining regional park (850ha in total) for the time being. The contaminated areas are within the regional park.

The Commonwealth Govt with the support of the NSW Govt sold Lend Lease the entire site, along with two sites in Melbourne for $165 Million in January 2004. This was well below market value.

Blacktown Council, as consent authority for most of the site, (Penrith Council controls the far western end of the site) approved the Masterplan to build 5000 houses and gave approval in early 2004 for ‘stage one’ (the Eastern Precinct) to proceed. Road and infrastructure construction commenced in 2005 .

The removal of emu and kangaroo populations was highly contentious. NSW National Parks granted removal permits, and the Minister Bob Debus equivocated on the issue for months. Removal will continue as development proceeds.

Lend Lease has been negotiating with the NSW National Parks over a figure to administer the regional park. It has been reported they asked for $10 million, but settled for $6.5 million.

photo by tim cole

Take Action!
Don’t let the Government and Lend Lease think they can get away with destroying one of the most important natural areas in Western Sydney. Its not too late to stop the development. Send a message to the state and governments to stop construction and save the site.:

¨ Contact Premier Morris Iemma [email: thepremier@www.nsw.gov.au, fax: 9228 3934], Planning Minister [email: rockdale@parliament.nsw.gov.au, fax: 9228 4711] and demand they stop the development.

¨ Email or fax local Liberal Federal Member, Jackie Kelly [email: Jackie.Kelly.MP@aph.gov.au, fax: 6277 2369]



¨ Write a letter to the editor at the Sydney Morning Herald [fax 9282 3492, email letters@smh.com.au], the Daily Telegraph [fax 9288 2300 or email letters@dailytelegraph.com.au] and your local paper. Call talk back radio.

Sylvia attends a rally to save the ADI site in September 2004