The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is Australia’s national scientific research agency with a long history of providing breakthrough science and innovation for Australia.
The government department with prime responsivity for science and innovation is the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. CSIRO is an independent Australian government corporate entity with a Board and Chief Executive.
The purpose of CSIRO is:
The secondary functions of CSIRO include international scientific liaison, training of research workers, publication of research results, technology transfer of other research, provision of scientific services and dissemination of information about science and technology.
The purpose of the Sydney Consolidation Project (SCP) is to improve CSIRO research facilities and the conditions for world-class research and collaboration for work undertaken in Sydney. The project will also achieve more cost-effective delivery of science through better utilisation of sites and reducing site operating and maintenance costs.
The SCP will support CSIRO’s primary purpose to deliver excellent science through high quality, fit-for-purpose facilities in Sydney.
The SCP proposed schedule is for work to begin in 2019 and for facility improvements to be in place by the end of 2021.
The SCP aims to bring facilities in Sydney up to standards which facilitate world class research, better utilise the facilities that we have and to enable excellent science and collaboration.
The SCP will be funded internally by CSIRO from a number of sources including:
There will be a period of two weeks, from Thursday 29 November to Friday 14 December 2018, for the community to provide feedback on the project plans.
Email – lindfieldrefresh@csiro.au
Phone – 1800 016 203
Mail – CSIRO Sydney Site Consolidation Project
36 Bradfield Road
Lindfield NSW 2070
Residents and business owners in the Lindfield area have been invited to two information sessions designed for members of the local community who want to know more about the project. The community sessions will take place at:
CSIRO Lindfield, main reception foyer (please follow signage to main reception parking)
36 Bradfield Road
Lindfield NSW 2070
Dates:
These sessions have also been advertised in local publications, at local community hubs and through Ku-ring-gai and Ryde Councils.
The SCP will include a number of changes across facilities in Sydney but the most will take place at Lindfield, which sits on Commonwealth-owned land.
Because most construction and adjustments of existing facilities will take place at the Lindfield site, there is likely to be more interest from the local community at Lindfield.
CSIRO expects some increased activity entering and exiting the main gate on Bradfield Road and also some noise associated during the period of construction. While work is not expected to have a significant impact on the local community the project team is proactively informing the community of the potential disruption.
Eventually, there will be an increase of staff and visitors at the Lindfield site. The total number of staff is expected to rise from approximately 300 to approximately 600 by 2021.
As CSIRO will sufficiently increase the parking at Lindfield within the CSIRO site boundaries there should be no impact on parking outside the CSIRO site, in the Lindfield community.
CSIRO will upgrade the access gatehouse on Bradfield Road to allow for more vehicles and pedestrians to safely move in and out of the site. This entry point will continue to act as a security checkpoint and the only access point to the CSIRO site.
Over time residents may see a noticeable increase in vehicles entering and exiting the main gate during construction and after the project is complete, and more staff are working at the Lindfield site.
There may be deliveries of construction equipment and large trucks passing through the main gate which may disrupt traffic temporarily on Bradfield Road. Traffic controllers will be in place if there is expected to be a prolonged disruption.
The Lindfield Refresh will see significant improvements to access across the entire site which will benefit researchers, visitors and people with disabilities. There will be additional compliant amenities, lifts, parking spaces, ramps, paths and easier room access as part of the layout amendments and new construction to take place.
The appropriate standards of Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and safety will play a large role in the planning process.
CSIRO is involving staff and stakeholders throughout the planning and implementation phases of this project. Since 2016, Sydney-based staff have been involved in the early consultation and planning phases and in the development of the project proposal. Regular updates and briefing sessions with staff will continue through the detailed design and construction phases to the final stages when works are completed, and staff move into refurbished workspaces.
Proposed changes at the Lindfield site are outlined in the November 2018 newsletter distributed to the local community in Lindfield and posted on our website.
Some of the changes include:
Over time, the increase in staff working at the Lindfield site is expected to bring additional research and commercial activity to the CSIRO site while enhancing local business activity and opportunities in the Lindfield area. Accompanying these local benefits, we expect there will be additional peak-period traffic on Lady Game Drive and Bradfield Road leading up to the gates of the Lindfield site.
Part of CSIRO’s world-class research programs includes working with and testing potentially dangerous materials. CSIRO will maintain the rigorous processes for handling and storing these materials on site and for ensuring staff and community safety.
CSIRO also maintains strict monitoring of the transportation of any potentially dangerous materials. We are bound by guidelines set out in the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations for the transportation of diagnostic specimens and other materials which require specialist packaging.
What are the likely construction impacts of the project?
An important part of the SCP is to ensure high standard facilities and cost-effective utilisation of our existing sites. CSIRO’s lease at its North Ryde property expires in 2021 and our Marsfield site has ageing infrastructure which is underutilised. Ending our lease at North Ryde and divesting our Marsfield site will enable us to create a vibrant and well utilised site at Lindfield. As part of this, staff will relocate mainly to Lindfield but also to CSIRO facilities at Mayfield and Australian Technology Park (ATP) at Eveleigh.
CSIRO leases the property at North Ryde and our lease will expire in 2021. Research conducted at North Ryde is to be relocated mostly to Lindfield.
Most research being conducted at North Ryde will move to Lindfield.
Once the refresh is completed at Lindfield and staff relocated, CSIRO will be able to part with the Marsfield site and save on the associated operational and maintenance costs.