Parra News April 14 2021

LOCAL NEWS
Clean up bill doubles
Controversial Camellia land deal continues to embarrass Government
NICOLA BARTON
The controversial, contaminated
piece of land at Camellia,
purchased by the State Government
for the Parramatta Light Rail
project, will cost $116 million to clean
up – more than double the original estimated
price.
This cost will cover the removal of
asbestos, arsenic and chromium from the
six hectares of land at 4-6 Grand Avenue,
Camellia. The clean-up was originally
priced at $52.7 million.
The revelations follow reports last
year that Transport Minister Andrew
Constance paid property developer Billbergia
$53.5 million for the site in 2016,
despite the company having paid $38.5
million for the land seven months earlier.
Shadow Minister for Finance and Small
Business Daniel Mookhey said the Camellia
land deal is the “worst property deal by
any Australian Government this century”.
“Taxpayers are stuck with a $115 million
clean up bill, while a property developer
walks away with millions in mega-profit,”
he said.
“Minister Constance has achieved a
trifecta of incompetence; he paid way
above market value to buy toxic land for a
project he’s set to abandon.”
The Camellia site, once cleared of
contaminants, will make way for a
stabling and maintenance facility for the
Parramatta Light Rail.
The site was previously used for a variety
of industrial and chemical manufacturing
purposes dating back to the 1930’s.
The remediation works comprised
the installation of a hydraulic barrier
wall around the perimeter of the site to
prevent the spread of contaminants and
a soil capping system to prevent residual
contamination rising to the surface.
The work also included the removal
of contaminated spoil and treatment of
groundwater.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said
physical construction works at the site
are targeted for completion in the second
quarter of 2021.
“Additional ground improvement works
are being undertaken in order to accommodate
the design of the stabling and
maintenance facility,” the spokesperson
said.
The land on Grand Avenue at Camellia continues to be cleaned up.
“These timelines will not impact the
project, with Parramatta Light Rail
expected to open in 2023.
“The remediation approach chosen will
make the site safe for future use and has
been endorsed by an independent Site
Auditor accredited by the NSW Environment
Protection Authority.”
The land on which the Parramatta Light
Rail Stabling and Maintenance Facility
will be built will be subject to a Long Term
Environmental Management Plan which
is being developed with the NSW Environment
Protection Authority.
parra news » Tuesday, April 13, 2021
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