The move to protect the expansion of freight lines will seek to prevent urban residential areas from “encroaching” on freight routes.

At a meeting of the Southern Joint Regional Planning Panel in Wollongong last week, two NSW Ports representatives appeared and argued impacts from freight noise on housing should be assessed more thoroughly.

NSW Ports, the private owner of Port Kembla, is seeking to protect the growth of its income corridor by trying to prevent future noise conflicts with residents.

They argued Wollongong City Council did not have a proper assessment of how rail noise would affect a new 22-storey apartment building on Regent St in the CBD. 

Noise had been assessed at ground level, but higher floors would get more noise from trains at night. NSW Ports said approval was not justified.

The JRPP approved the development but the issue is sure to return, as forecasts show rail freight movements in and out of Port Kembla to increase from about 24 per day to about 34 by 2036. Most of these are outside commuter peaks, with many at night.

This could cause clashes with Government plans for urban intensification near transport routes.

“In its long term master plan ... NSW Ports has identified as a key objective, to protect ports, intermodal terminals and key road and rail access connections, from urban encroachment,” a spokeswoman said. “This is to ensure that key infrastructure assets are able to operate 24/7 to cater for the growing trade needs of the state.

“A key feature of this plan, is to ensure that there is adequate separation between industrial land and land allocated for other sensitive uses such as residential development, so that there is no conflict between the uses.

“Developments in the vicinity of a rail freight corridor need to protect the amenity of residences, taking into consideration growth in rail usage, and not expect that operations on nearby rail lines will be restricted.”