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General
Barangaroo South and Lend
Lease
Headland Park
Remediation
GENERAL
What is Barangaroo?
Barangaroo is a vacant 22 hectare former
container wharf on the western harbour foreshore of the Sydney
CBD.
Over the next decade it is being transformed
into a thriving public, residential and commercial precinct with a
waterfront promenade running the length of the site. Incorporating
a major new Headland Park, it is one of the most ambitious and
significant waterfront redevelopments anywhere in the world.
Over time, 23,000 people will live and work in
the precinct, with 33,000 people expected to visit Barangaroo each
day
It is divided into three areas:
- Barangaroo South will be a major new business,
tourism, residential and retail precinct opening onto a public
waterfront promenade. Lend Lease was awarded the right to develop
Barangaroo South in December 2009, following a public bid process.
The first building is targeted for completion in 2015.
- Barangaroo Central will be a cultural and civic
focal point for recreation, relaxation, events, festivals,
entertainment and leisure activities. It is currently home to a
temporary cruise passenger terminal which will relocate to White
Bay in 2012.
- Headland Park will be a grand harbour park for
Sydney. Inspired by the 1836 shoreline and designed to complement
the neighbouring headlands of Sydney harbour. Approximately six
hectares in size, it is scheduled to open in 2015.
Why is it being developed?
Barangaroo is an opportunity to reinvigorate
Sydney's position as a financial services hub in the Asia
Pacific by generating jobs, boosting the economy and creating a new
place to live, work and visit.
The $6 billion transformation of Barangaroo
will reaffirm Sydney's standing as a global city and attract new
investment to NSW and Australia.
Who owns Barangaroo?
The 22 hectare site is owned by the NSW
Government and managed by the Barangaroo Delivery Authority to
ensure it is delivered in a coordinated and financially responsible
manner as provided for in the Barangaroo Delivery Authority Act
2009.
When will Barangaroo be
finished?
The project will be progressively delivered
over the next ten to fifteen years, with the Headland Park and
first commercial office tower scheduled to open in 2015.
HEADLAND PARK
What is the Headland Park?
The six hectare Headland Park is located at the
northern end of Barangaroo, immediately adjacent to Walsh Bay and
Millers Point. It will be a naturalistic harbour headland in the
spirit of places including Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Balls Head,
Ballast Point and Goat Island.
The new park will include picnic areas, bush
walks and tidal pools, as well as a new cultural centre built
within the headland. For the first time in more than a century,
members of the public will be able to touch the water in this part
of the harbour
It is scheduled to open in 2015.
Who has designed the Headland
Park?
Headland Park has been designed by a local and
overseas expert team headed by internationally renowned landscape
architect Peter Walker.
The final design for the park also reflects the
significant community consultation which has been undertaken, in
particular the on-site Headland Park Open Day attended by more than
250 people, the Barangaroo Community forum at the Sydney Opera
House as well as the Barangaroo online forum.
Why a naturalistic
headland?
After 1836 the original headland and foreshore
at Barangaroo's northern most point was cut away to make space for
wharves and stevedoring activities. This industrialisation, of what
was then known as East Darling Harbour, continued well into the
1960's delivering the long, wide concrete stands that make up the
site today.
Rather than trying to replicate the original
landforms, they have been used as the inspiration for the park's
shape and design.
The headland has specifically been designed to
allow people to get close to the harbour.
What are the features of the Headland
Park?
The park will have:
- a naturalistic shape rising up to link Clyne Reserve and Munn
Reserve to the harbour
- a foreshore promenade wrapping around the park for pedestrians
and cyclists;
- a northern cove with jetty and viewing platform;
- a new cultural centre created inside the headland
- a 300 space car park underneath the headland;
- landscaped areas including picnic areas, bush walks, stairs,
pathways, tidal pools, lighting and lookouts;
How is the park being paid
for?
The Headland Park will be delivered at no cost
to taxpayers, funded from payments from the development of the
commercial precinct - Barangaroo South.
When will the Headland Park be
completed?
It is expected to be completed in 2015.
BARANGAROO SOUTH AND PROJECT DELIVERY
AGREEMENT
Who is developing Barangaroo
South?
The 22 hectare site is owned by the NSW
Government and managed by the Barangaroo Delivery Authority to
ensure it is delivered in a coordinated and financially responsible
manner as provided for in the Barangaroo Delivery Authority Act
2009.
After a robust and detailed international bid
process, Lend Lease were granted the development rights for the
commercial, retail and residential part of the site known as
Barangaroo South.
Barangaroo South is approximately 7.5 hectares
in size.
Why is Barangaroo being developed by
one developer, rather than several developers?
The Government decided to offer
Barangaroo South as one package for a number of reasons. They
include:
- the ability to establish world class architectural excellence
and urban design outcomes;
- delivery by the private sector of adjoining public domain and
utility infrastructure;
- a holistic approach to remediation requirements; and,
- sustainability outcomes through district systems
Why are the buildings
large?
To maintain its regional competitiveness, the
Sydney CBD needs to provide the financial sector with high-rise
landmark towers with large floorplates of around 2,500sqm.
These requirements are already being provided
by competitors for international financial services sector tenants
in the United States, Europe and the Asia Pacific
The finance sector requires larger floorplates
due to the pace of business, complexity of transactions and the
large numbers of people that need to interact and work
collaboratively.
Barangaroo provides this opportunity for Sydney
CBD.
Ensuring Sydney remains a significant financial
hub in the Asia Pacific and delivers jobs and investment for the
State.
How tall are the
buildings?
There are three commercial towers. The highest
tower is 209 metres, while the other two towers can be up to 180
metres tall.
What is the Project Development
Agreement?
The Project Development Agreement is the
contract between the NSW Government represented by the Barangaroo
Delivery Authority and the developer of Barangaroo South, Lend
Lease Millers Point Pty Ltd.
The Agreement is the contract where Lend Lease
is authorised to develop Barangaroo South. Lend Lease was
appointed to undertake the development following a robust
competitive bid process.
The tender process followed government
procurement guidelines and involved an extensive process involving
a two stage tender process including:
- a call for Expressions of Interest, which involved eight
responses;
- the selection of three proponents to respond to a Request for
Detailed Proposals; Two of these respondents, Lend Lease and
Brookfield Multiplex were asked to provide further information and
respond to further questions during the final phase.
What does the Agreement
allow?
The Agreement allows Lend Lease to develop
buildings on Barangaroo South with development rights and 99 year
leases for individual works areas.
All land, including the public domain, within
Barangaroo South will be retained in public ownership for the
benefit the people of New South Wales.
How much is the Government receiving
from Lend Lease?
Lend Lease is making fixed and value payments
(subject to market conditions) to the Authority over the life of
the Agreement.
These payments are progressively being made
available as part of the annual NSW Government Budget process.
The first payment of $13 million was made in
March 2010. A second payment of $90 million was made in March
2011.
REMEDIATION AND
CONTAMINATION
What is the main remediation
issue?
The former Millers Point Gasworks, which
operated on a two hectare portion of this site until early last
century is a major source of contamination. The above ground
structures associated with the gasworks were demolished between
1922 and 1925, but underground structures including tanks were left
on site.
Where is the
contamination?
The contamination is largely confined to the
area of the former Millers Point Gasworks which includes part of
Barangaroo and Hickson Road. The remediation area declared by the
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (EPA) is
outlined in the image below.
Image of the declared remediation site
area:
What is the contamination on
site?
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA)
describes the contamination on the "remediation site" as gasworks
waste which is tar created during the operation of a gasworks
plant. In particular, the EPA has identified the following as the
contaminants on the "remediation site": polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs); benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes
(BTEX); total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs); ammonia; phenol and
cyanide.
Who is responsible for the
contamination?
The operation of the gasworks resulted in
contamination, the consequence of which is now the subject of the
specific site declaration by EPA, including the statutory
requirement for remediation of the "remediation site".
Ultimately, those parties whose actions
resulted in contamination of the "remediation site" are responsible
for the cost of remediation.
The remediation process itself will determine
the final extent of responsibility held by those responsible for
the contamination. The Barangaroo Delivery Authority will initiate
the remediation works, and then will seek input from the
responsible party or follow legal proceedings where necessary to
recover remediation costs from the responsible parties.
Who is undertaking the
remediation?
The Barangaroo Delivery Authority has initiated
the remediation of the contamination at the Barangaroo site and on
Hickson Road, through the development of a Voluntary Management
Proposal approved by the EPA. The Authority has
appointed Lend Lease to undertake the remediation works on its
behalf.
Who owned and operated the gas
works?
The Millers Point Gasworks was operated by
Australian Gas & Light Company which is now Jemena Limited.
When is the remediation process likely
to commence?
The Barangaroo Delivery Authority expects the
remediation process to commence in 2011. All
remediation works will be carried out under approved works plans
which are subject to formal Department of Planning and EPA approval
processes.
What is the SISCO remediation
method?
Called Surfactant-Enhanced In Situ Chemical
Oxidation or SISCO, this technology enables remediation of
contamination where it lies, underground.
How does SISCO work?
The SISCO process involves the controlled
injection and monitoring of specific chemicals into the
contamination zone below ground. The reactions caused by these
chemicals when they come into contact with the contamination
effectively degrades potentially harmful contaminants into
non-toxic by-products.
What chemicals are being used in the
SISCO method?
It depends on the type of contamination being
treated however chemicals used may include combinations of water,
hydrogen peroxide, sodium persulfate, catalysts and food-grade
surfactants.
Are these chemicals
dangerous?
Not in this scenario and importantly the type
and amount of injected chemicals will be specially selected to
match the type of contamination and its location.
Notwithstanding the above, stringent monitoring and controls will
be in place to manage reaction and movement of chemicals and
contaminants in the subsurface.
Has the SISCO method been used
elsewhere?
Yes. Importantly the SISCO remediation method
has been successfully applied on other former gasworks sites
overseas, which is the same type of industrial activity which has
contaminated the Barangaroo site. These projects were conducted in
the United States at Long Island City, Hartford and New York.
What are the benefits of
SISCO?
The 'in situ' technology enables contamination
to be treated without the need for invasive extraction and delivers
a range of important environmental and other benefits
including:
- reducing the amount of excavation required;
- treating contamination where it lies underground without
bringing it to the surface;
- reducing the amount of material required to be taken off site
and disposed in landfill;
- limits the amount of disruption to traffic on Hickson Road
- reducing the impacts on local residents, business and other
neighbours
