EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overview of the proposal
Sydney Airport is one of Australia’s most important pieces
of infrastructure and is a critical economic engine for
Sydney, NSW and Australia. Directly and indirectly, the
airport generates and/or facilitates the equivalent of 6 per
cent of the state’s economic activity and almost 300,000
jobs. The passenger forecasts for the airport presented in
the Master Plan 2033 indicate growth from 36.9 million
passengers in 2012 to 74.3 million passengers in 2033.
Sydney Airport is proposing the staged construction
of Ground Access Solutions in the T2/T3 precinct in
the north-east of the airport. These improvements are
designed to deliver less traffic congestion, smoother traffic
flows and more convenience to drivers, pedestrians and
cyclists, increasing the precinct’s capacity. The proposal
also includes a hotel for improved airline passenger
convenience.
The proposed ground access solutions and hotel outlined
in this revised preliminary draft Major Development Plan
(pdMDP) and, consistent with the recently approved
Sydney Airport Master Plan 2033 (the Master Plan 2033),
were the result of extensive consultation with airlines, the
community and other stakeholders, including the NSW
Government. The proposed development will enable
Sydney Airport, in close consultation with the NSW
Government, to increase the airport’s capacity by improving
road and intersection performance in and around the
airport’s T2/T3 precinct by 2018 and beyond.
8 Sydney Airport T2/T3 Ground Access Solutions and Hotel Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan
2014
2018
Sydney Airport understands that many travellers to and from
the airport experience delays on the road network in and
around the airport, particularly during peak times and holiday
periods.
• improvements to pedestrian and cyclist paths and
intersections within the project area and new end of trip
facilities close to the terminal for cyclist;
Subject to approval of this pdMDP, Sydney Airport intends to
implement these works as a priority commencing in 2015.
Commensurate with demand and timed to coordinate with
the completion of WestConnex Enabling Works outside of
the airport boundary, the major elements of the proposal to
be delivered are:
• construction of a new five-lane one-way exit from Shiers
Avenue to Qantas Drive at the Robey Street intersection;
• reconfiguration of Sir Reginald Ansett Drive to a one-way
entry to the precinct;
• reconfiguration of Ninth Street for easy entry and exit of
buses and coaches to the Ground Transport Interchange;
• construction of three additional levels on the P3 car park,
a bridge link between P2 and P3 car parks and new lifts
for P2 providing a net increase of 350 bays;
• construction of a new parking structure to replace the
eastern portion of the P1 car park with a net increase in
parking for approximately 1,250 vehicles;
• development of an above ground pedestrian corridor
segregated from vehicle traffic from the terminals to
P1, P2, P3 and the Ground Transport Interchange with
assisted bi-directional walkways in the new P1 East car
park resulting in a loss of approximately 100 parking bays;
• construction of a multi-level structure, the Ground
Transport Interchange, with a bus and coach pick-up/
drop-off facility at ground level and parking/storage for
approximately 4,000 vehicles above ground;
• provision of additional taxi storage capacity to cater for
the increased demand from passengers for this service;
and
• construction of a 4 to 5 star hotel with approximately
430 rooms facing Qantas Drive.
This solution will be further enhanced by NSW
Government’s recently announced reconfiguration of Robey
Street and O’Riordan Street (outside the airport boundary)
to one-way roads south of the Robey Street /O’Riordan
Street intersection.
Implementing the T2/T3 ground access solution as outlined
in this pdMDP will benefit all airport users through better
traffic flow in the precinct. When complemented with road
network changes already announced by NSW Government,
it would also improve the experience of general commuter
and Port Botany peak traffic that use the arterial roads
surrounding the airport by increasing green light time at the
major intersections by up to 33 per cent.
Stakeholder consultation
While preparing the Master Plan 2033, Sydney Airport
conducted extensive airline, community and stakeholder
consultation and engagement. Overwhelmingly, the
feedback on the proposed ground transport solutions from
many of the several hundred people who attended one of
the community information sessions was positive.
Many of the written submissions received during the
draft Master Plan 2033 public exhibition period from a
Sydney Airport T2/T3 Ground Access Solutions and Hotel Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan 9
number of airlines, key aviation, community, government,
business and tourism stakeholders were also supportive
of the proposed ground transport solutions. In preparing
the preliminary draft MDP that was exhibited for public
comment, Sydney Airport has had regard to the ground
transport-related comments in those submissions.
• reducing air and noise impacts associated with traffic
congestion by improving the road network in and
around the airport;
Sydney Airport public exhibited the pdMDP for 60 business
days and has carefully considered and had due regard to
all submissions and comments received. The proposed
development was subsequently revised and is now
included in this revised version of the pdMDP. Sydney
Airport is giving the community and other stakeholders
a further opportunity to comment and will continue a
targeted consultation process involving briefings and
communications with relevant stakeholders.
• incorporation of sustainability measures into the
detailed design of the proposed development to
improve environmental outcomes including:
Sydney Airport is committed to on-going community and
stakeholder engagement during the public exhibition of
this plan as well as during the construction phases of the
proposed T2/T3 Ground Access Solutions and Hotel.
Traffic and transport assessment
To identify and validate the traffic and transport implications
of the proposed development, the ground access works
were assessed using demand, micro-simulation and
corridor modelling analyses.
Modelling of the proposed development when operational
in 2018 demonstrates that a reduction in queues and
delays will be achieved when compared with the current
operation and the 2018 ‘do nothing’ scenario. Operation
at all intersections will be significantly improved resulting
in comparatively short delays and queues that clear during
most signal phasing cycles. Travel time reliability will be
improved for both airport and non-airport road users. In
combination with road works by the NSW Government
outside the airport boundary, the proposed development
will also provide a travel time benefit to Port Botany freight
vehicles and general commuters on the wider road network
when compared with the ‘do nothing’ scenario even with a
local change in route required.
Environmental assessment
Comprehensive assessment of the proposed development
has been undertaken to identify the benefits and impacts
in relation to the environment, including ecology, cultural
heritage, noise and air quality.
The key environmental benefits of the proposed
development include:
• improvements to facilities and connectivity for cyclists
and pedestrians;
• encouraging increased use of public transport by
providing a high standard Ground Transport Interchange
that caters for the additional public bus services to
Sydney Airport announced by the NSW Government;
• reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the installation
of a parking guidance system that increases the
efficiency of vehicle circulation; and
– low emission technologies such as LED lighting;
–resource efficiency including reuse of existing
materials for construction, use of alternative
construction materials such as recycled content
material; and
–water recycling such as within the rental car facility
wash bay.
Sydney Airport recognises the proposed development
identified potential or unavoidable construction and
operational environmental impacts. However, through
management and mitigation it is considered that the
development is not likely to have significant environmental
or ecological impacts. The proposed development is
consistent with the Sydney Airport Environment Strategy
2013–2018.
Conclusion of the pdMDP assessment
On the basis of the assessment presented in this revised
pdMDP, Sydney Airport concludes that the construction and
operation of the proposed T2/T3 Ground Access Solutions
and Hotel remains:
• fully consistent with the relevant provisions of the
Sydney Airport Master Plan 2033;
• not a development of a kind that is likely to have
significant environmental or ecological impacts;
• not a development which affects an area identified
as environmentally significant in the Sydney Airport
Environment Strategy 2013–2018; and
• not a development of a kind that is likely to have a
significant negative impact on the local or regional
community.
Sydney Airport also considers that the documentation of
the proposed T2/T3 Ground Access Solutions and Hotel
pdMDP and consultation with stakeholders would meet
the applicable requirements under the NSW planning and
development consent process as administered by the
Department of Planning, the City of Botany Bay Council and
other relevant agencies.
Sydney Airport looks forward to the approval of this pdMDP
so that detailed planning can commence and the benefits
for all airport users outlined in this plan can be achieved as
soon as possible.
10 Sydney Airport T2/T3 Ground Access Solutions and Hotel Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan
Sydney Airport T2/T3 Ground Access Solutions and Hotel Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan 11