Military construction at Randwick Barracks reignites old debates

By Elliott Brennan

Construction has begun on a new military facility at Randwick Barracks.

The development of an Air Warship Defence (AWD) and Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Ship Sustainment has reopened fierce debates between Randwick Council, the Department of Defence and local residents about the proper use of the site that go back 15 years.

The Randwick facility is one of three sites that will cater to the new class of warship, named the Hobart Class, that is being introduced into the Navy in 2016.

Randwick Barracks will handle the bulk of taining for the new vessels whilst maintenance of the ships and parts will take place at Garden Island and HMAS Watson.

The facility will be comprised of a series of 2 storey buildings which will contain classrooms, systems simulators and a lecture theatre.

The proposed works sit within Commonwealth owned land and Randwick City Council told City Hub that this significantly reduces their powers in the development of the site.

The use of the site for these means stands in contrast to what the council has had planned for the site since it was rezoned for residential use in 2003.

In 2004, Randwick Council told the Standing Parliamentary Committee for Public Works that “the timely completion of the public infrastructure works, such as the community facility, the Randwick Environmental Park, the local parks and public domain improvements are not only essential statutory requirements, but are also but are also imperative for the overall success of the redevelopment for meeting the needs of incoming residents to the site”.

But in 2013 the Department of Defence took a Special Provision and rezoned the land again for “special use”. The Department of Defence already had plans in the works for this new facility at this time.

Randwick City Council decried the Department of Defence for their handling of the land which council had always seen as a significant access point to the environmental park.

“At best the Department of Defences’ approach to this site has been ad-hoc, piece meal, and has lacked strategic vision. This has created a climate of uncertainty for the surrounding residents.”

“The change from earlier plans has also impacted the surrounding residents’ access to the community and recreational facilities [in the park]. The earlier masterplan for the site proposed a number of access points for the surrounding community to access the community facilities.”

The Department of Defence is still yet to reconcile this issue.

While residents have not taken issue to the design or role of the facility, its construction has once again raised fears concerning the asbestos contamination levels in the land and a potential health hazard.

“We know there is asbestos there, but we don’t have a clue what they’re doing about it,” said local resident Therese McArdle, who lives directly behind the site.

The Department of Defence has enlisted a dedicated asbestos management company and post daily air-quality reports from a number of locations on the site, none of which have measured over one thousandth of one percent so far.