Narrabri to North Star Phase 2 section update – June 2024
Since our last update in March, we’ve completed our operational noise mitigation consultation and submitted our assessment report and recommendations to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. We’ve also finalised other technical reports, including Hydrology, as required under the planning approvals process. Last week, we also held our regular quarterly Community Reference Group meeting in Moree.
June 28, 2024
Operational noise consultation feedback
Following our operational noise mitigation consultation in March, we asked all 55 community stakeholders in the assessment area about their preferred noise mitigation option. We received 20 responses.
The results were weighted to consider the most impacted stakeholders.
- On the eastern side of the railway, the weighted results indicated 56% of respondents said a noise wall is their preferred noise mitigation measure.
- On the western side of the railway, the weighted results indicated 70% of respondents said at-property treatment is their preferred noise mitigation measure.
These survey results, along with other consultation feedback and Inland Rail’s technical assessment and recommendation, are being submitted to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI). The report will be published within the Preferred Infrastructure Report on the NSW Government’s planning website soon. We will send out separate communication when this has occurred.
Importantly, the ‘preferred noise mitigation measures’ will be verified and confirmed during the Operational Noise and Vibration Review, which will occur before Phase 2 construction starts. At this point, the community will be invited to provide further feedback on the Operational Noise and Vibration Review.
Progressing planning approvals
This month, we finalised two key planning approval documents – a Response to Submissions Report (RtS) and the Preferred Infrastructure Report (PIR).
The RtS includes all submissions made during the Phase 2 section’s Environmental Impact Statement public exhibition (which ended in mid-November 2022) and our response to each submission. In total, 19 submissions were received from the community and 11 submissions were received from government agencies.
The PIR contains additional information relating to hydrology and operational noise as requested by DPHI following its assessment of the EIS and submissions. We will notify the community when these documents are available online and provide summaries of both reports.
Community Reference Group
Last week, we held our second Community Reference Group (CRG) meeting for the year. The project team presented the outcomes of the operational noise mitigation consultation and reminded members of the engagement process that was facilitated.
The group discussed the two key document submissions made to DPHI (RtS and PIR), the review process and likely timings (including the potential requirement to public exhibit the PIR). Subject to public exhibition advice from DPHI, we will notify the community of next steps via our normal communication channels.
The minutes of this and all previous CRG meetings, CRG member details, and guidance on how to raise a topic for future CRG meetings, are published on the Inland Rail website. The next CRG meeting is scheduled for November.
Questions?
For more information about the Narrabri to North Star section of Inland Rail, phone: 1800 732 761 or email inlandrailnsw@inlandrail.com.au or visit our website.
