sydney-city-centre-review-of-environmental-factors

Social infrastructure – construction impacts
Minor travel delays, congestion, localised diversions and temporary traffic
management controls introduced during construction may affect access to the study
area’s social infrastructure. The greatest impacts would occur adjacent to the
proposal footprint. However, the proposal to manage the construction staging and
program to avoid peak demand periods would limit the above impacts.
The amenity value provided by some of the social infrastructure, such as parks, may
be potentially temporarily impacted as a result of the proposed construction work.
This would be as a result of temporary visual, noise, air quality (including dust
generation) and traffic impacts; each of which is discussed under the corresponding
headings in this chapter. Any created temporary impacts would vary throughout the
day and night and would be influenced and managed by the construction program
and staging.
Local and regional economy – construction impacts
The local economy would either be temporarily affected adversely or beneficially
during construction depending on the type of business, its function and its location
relative to the proposal footprint. In particular:
Some businesses may be affected by the temporary pedestrian crossing and
footpath closures, restrictions and diversions described in section 6.1.3. This
may reduce pedestrian numbers (footfall) along certain roads and therefore
passing trade. This would be particularly true for food, beverage and retail
businesses in the direct vicinity of such restrictions. Conversely, the increased
footfall along diversion routes may increase the level of passing trade for
businesses elsewhere in the city
Some businesses would be affected by the temporary kerbside allocation
restrictions that would be experienced during construction. In particular some:
- Businesses would not be able to unload or load goods due to the
temporary access restrictions on loading zones
- Businesses that rely on short-term parking (eg fast food restaurants and
convenience stores) may be affected
- Businesses that use the footpath (eg outdoor seating and outdoor dining)
may be affected due to the loss of amenity due to the noise, dust and
visual impacts caused during construction
- Taxi ranks and zones would be disrupted
People may temporarily alter their shopping patterns to avoid certain streets.
They may shop in different locations, potentially including ‘out-of-town’
shopping centres or at different times of the day
People may also avoid the city centre during construction. This may have an
indirect economic effect, especially across the retail and tourism sectors.
Again, by carefully staging and programming the work to avoid peak periods of
demand the any impacts could be minimise. This would include consideration of
businesses that operate at night and over the weekend. The construction staging and
programming would also consider the changes in travel pattern that occur across the
city centre over the weekend, with more people using Hyde Park, Macquarie Street,
Circular Quay and Darling Harbour.
Sydney City Centre Capacity Improvement 284
Review of Environmental Factors