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We are upgrading Barton Park in Banksia to cater for a variety of recreational activities like organised sport and family outings, providing a welcoming space with accessible facilities, good lighting, walking and cycling connections.
See our construction updates below.
Project updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 13 March |
Frog fence and silt fence removal - Bestic Street Bayside Council’s contractor is removing the frog fence and silt fence at Barton Park on 14 March 2024. Our independent consultants, Ecological are booked to attend the site as an added safety measure while the fences are removed near the wetlands area, but are not directly supervising fence removal. We expect the fence removal to cause minimal noise and no impact to the community. You can call our 1300 581 299 (24 hours, 7 days) for any questions or complaints. Location and date Bestic Street, Banksia Date Wednesday, 13 March to Thursday, 14 March Time 7am – 5pm |
| 8 February |
Changed traffic conditions - Bestic Street The line marking works planned for 14 February have been postponed due to bad weather. We will update the below with new details soon. Bayside Council’s contractor is undertaking night works to line mark Bestic Street, Banksia on Wednesday 14 February. The works include removal of the existing line marking and installing new lines as designed during the night. Traffic will be managed by stop / slow control measures which will close various lanes at different times during the night. We expect the works and changed traffic conditions to create minor noise which will be carefully managed and within the accepted levels set in the Review of Environment Factors. Most of the noise works is likely to happen in the early hours of the night shift to reduce community impact. Call 1300 581 299 (24 hours, 7 days) for any questions or complaints. Location and date Location Bestic Street, Banksia Date 14 February Time 8pm to 4am |
Barton Park Masterplan
The Barton Park Masterplan sets the vision for long-term developments by addressing the following issues:
- Demolition of old facilities
- Upgrade of sporting and recreation facilities
- Barton Park's location to large population growth centres.
The Masterplan outlines the following objectives and design principles:
- Provide playing fields and other sporting facilities for active recreation
- Improve amenity and lighting
- Upgrade site conditions as identified in the Environmental Management Plan
- Improve interface with Landing Lights Wetlands and other adjacent open spaces
- Improve landscape and biodiversity outcomes through increased plantings
- Identify integrated movement network with connections to adjacent areas
- Increase safety using Safety by Design (CPTED) principles.
Background
Our upgrade of Barton Park in Banksia will provide an open space along the Rockdale Wetlands Corridor. Walking and cycle connections will offer growing populations in Arncliffe, Banksia and Wolli Creek access to a variety of recreational activities, including organised sport, family outings, bird watching, and environmental education opportunities.
A final masterplan based on feedback we received from the community in 2020 was endorsed by Bayside Council, and finalised after final consultation with the community in September 2021.
A Review of Environmental Factors (REF) was also prepared to assess the project’s potential environmental impacts which found the proposed works can be adequately managed as outlined in the review. See Review of Environmental Factors for more information
See the Barton Park upgrade page for more information on the consultation process and to view project documents.
Review of Environmental Factors
We engaged an Ecologist to prepare a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the proposed delivery of the Barton Park Precinct.
The REF found there may be some impacts limited to contamination and biodiversity, and recommended measures to minimise these impacts with the following (but not limited to) management plans:
- Construction Environmental Management Plan
- Remediation Action Plan
- Wetlands Environmental Management Plan
- Green and Golden Bell Frog Management Plan
An independent consultant was engaged to assess the REF and recommended its approval to Council. The potential environmental impacts related to the proposed works were found to be manageable if the REF design recommendations and mitigation measures are followed.
The REF found the project is not likely to have a significant impact upon the environment or any threatened species, populations or communities.
Once approved by Bayside Council, the REF was publicly exhibited for community feedback from 8 September until 8 November 2021.
A meeting was held prior to the contractors commencing works on site, and they provided all management plans including the CEMP to ensure they are aware of the sensitivity of the nearby wetlands.
See the Barton Park upgrade page to view or download the project management plans.
Ecologist inspection reports
Regular site inspections monitor the effectiveness of management and mitigation measures during the construction period of the works. These reports are provided to Bayside Council, with the preceding three published here for viewing.
| Compliance inspection report 11 | 19 December 2023 |
| Compliance inspection report 12 | 22 December 2023 |
| Compliance inspection report 13 | 31 January 2024 |
See the Barton Park ecologist compliance inspection archive for reports before December 2023.
Green and Golden Bell Frog
Green and Golden Bell Frogs were identified as an endangered species that lives in and around the waters and vegetation near the construction site. Green and Golden Bell Frogs are threatened by Chytrid fungus, which is a fungus identified by the REF as commonly found in NSW and easily spread by footwear, vehicles or machinery.
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To protect local Green and Golden Bell Frogs from the fungus, mitigation measures were recommended in the REF which included but were not limited to:
- Briefing the contractors on the presence of threatened species
- follow hygiene protocols to protect priority biodiversity areas in NSW from Phytophthora cinnamomi, myrtle rust, amphibian chytrid fungus and invasive plants.
- prepare a Green and Golden Bell Frog Management Plan, served to the Coordinator-General, Environment, Energy and Science for consent
- minimise work during excessively wet or muddy conditions
- set up exclusion zones with fencing and signage restricting access to contaminated areas
- all personnel (including visitors) inducted on chytrid management measures for the site
- provide wash down facilities for boots as well as vehicles.
Green and Golden Bell Frog Management Plan
An independent Ecologist prepared a Green and Golden Bell Frog (GGBF) Management Plan to support the State environmental approvals process by identifying current and proposed habitats, and proposing direct mitigation and management measures.
The GGBF plan shows the management area coincides with the protected northern landing light wetland. Construction works won’t be completed in this area, and exclusion zone fencing installed around the site perimeter to restrict access. The development footprint sits outside this protected area.
The management plan outlines minimum construction mitigation and management measures to be implemented by the construction contractor and Bayside Council:
- Define construction clearing areas with at least 20m between the edge of the Landing Lights Wetland and the edge of the construction zone
- establish a frog exclusion zone with a physical barrier
- conduct a pre-clearance survey
- site inductions should contain a relevant section on the Green and Golden Bell Frog
- stop work or unanticipated find procedure, as well as hygiene protocols
- sediment, erosion, contaminant controls
- light spill management.
Ongoing measures were also proposed by the management plan which include:
- Enhance habitat with management area
- install signs displaying important of clean shoes and clothes, and detailing biodiversity values
- develop measures to reduce threats from feral cats, foxes or pets, as well as Chytrid, Plague Minnow, and noxious weeds
- lights are to be switched off or dimmed outside of operational hours.
See the Green and Golden Bell Frog Management Plan (2.92MB) for more information on the plan and proposed measures.
Funding
The Barton Park Recreational Precinct upgrade project is proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with Bayside Council.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is being built at Barton Park?
- Three full-sized and one midi-sized natural turf sporting fields with competition lighting and 450-seat spectator grandstand
- central amenities building with four change rooms, a canteen, meeting, first-aid and referees’ room, storage, and public toilets
- small toilet block to service southern area of park
- two multi-sport courts
- four tennis courts
- shaded spectator seating
- picnic areas, playground, and fitness equipment
- shared path connection network, including along the Muddy Creek foreshore
- improved road entry and carparking for 241 cars
- landscaping and tree planting across the site.
Are approvals required before construction can begin?
Yes. Upgrade works of local area parks, fields, facilities and other large projects are permitted under the Bayside Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2021, and can be approved under Parks and other public reserves of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 (Infrastructure SEPP) without development consent under Part 4 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment (EPA) Act, 1979.
Not all projects require a Development Approval (DA), however we are still required to examine all potential matters likely to affect the environment and meet our obligations under the EPA Act 1979.
To do this, we engage a third-party company to help prepare a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) which examines the likely impacts of a proposal on the environment and biodiversity, and the measures required to mitigate impacts. Learn more about REFs under the Review of Environmental Factors FAQ.
What is a Review of Environmental Factors?
A Review of Environmental Factors (REF) is required when a public authority undertakes a project under Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979.
REFs examine the significance of likely environmental impacts of a proposal and the measures required to mitigate them. The safeguards and mitigation measures that are detailed in a REF will help minimise these expected impacts.
The safeguards and mitigation measures recommended in the REF are reflected in the approval and the contractors Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) to ensure they are carried out.
What is a Construction Environmental Management Plan?
A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) complies with the requirements of the REF, and identifies environmental management practices contractors must follow to ensure the minimal and low-risk impacts of construction.
The CEMP covers but is not limited to the preparation, approval and implementation of the following:
- Construction and work processes
- site access, work duration and equipment
- environmental training
- planned conservation and site areas
- monitoring and review
What is the Green and Golden Bell Frog Management Plan?
The Green and Golden Bell Frog Management Plan (GGBF) was prepared by an Ecologist to support the proposed delivery of the Barton Park Precinct Masterplan, and management of the Green and Golden Bell Frog.
What was agreed at the Council meeting in March 2020?
Bayside Council at its meeting of 11 March 2020 resolved
- That Council endorses the draft Barton Park Masterplan for public exhibition.
- That public exhibition of the draft Barton Park Masterplan be undertaken for a period of 28 days.
- That the activities as per the Community Engagement Plan are commenced.
- That a future report be prepared for Council’s consideration in relation to submissions received during the public exhibition period.
What is Bayside doing to ensure earthworks near the Landing Lights don’t cause structural damage to the wetlands?
We are managing the environmental aspects of the project by implementing the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) to ensure construction workers don’t encroach on the Landing Lights wetland. Workers are retaining sediment laden surface water runoff to the main construction site and not discharging into the wetland, and restricting areas in which mobile plant can operate so it’s away from residences and other sensitive land uses at particular times.
An ongoing maintenance plan includes regular ecologist inspections for the duration of the project to ensure controls are effective, and any upgrades required and completed in a proactive manner.
How is Bayside managing waste materials from the site?
Bayside is committed to renewably managing waste materials from construction sites like Barton Park.
Sustainably designed contaminant cells are used to build earthwork foundations by containing all the project’s approximate 20,000m3 of contaminated material so it won’t be disposed in landfill.
Concrete can be recycled as a firm foundation for roads and pathways, so all concrete from the old stadium will be taken to an offsite recycling centre to be crushed and reused in a future construction project. Demolished steel and concrete from sites like the old grandstand will also be crushed and recycled for future use.
Where can I find more information?
Visit the Upgrading Barton Park, Banksia updates page for more information on the consultation process and to view project documents.