A year out of their home turned into two. Now Sydney Metro wants this family to move again

6 hours ago 3

After a year out of their inner Sydney home turned into two, John Finucane is frustrated that he and his wife will be forced to move again due to drilling 24 hours a day in a giant cavern beneath their house for a new metro train station.

This time, the couple have been advised they will have to shift out of their Pyrmont home for up to 10 days from Tuesday because of the hammering, but fear that it will be longer given their previous experience.

John Finucane’s home is next door to one of the giant sheds in Pyrmont built for construction of the Metro West station.

Other residents near one of two giant green sheds, which serve as access points to the giant cavern for the Metro West station, have also been advised that they will have to temporarily relocate. Yet for some, that is not possible.

Finucane said they were supportive of the transport project but wanted contractors to carry out the drilling during daytime hours over a longer period, instead of around the clock, so that they can stay in their home.

“This sort of crossed the line. We’ve just come back, and they’re telling us to get out again,” he said.

“We don’t want to move. We had been back here four months thinking it had all been done and dusted. And then about four weeks ago, that’s when they knocked on the door.”

They were told that contractors would extend the hours of drilling to as late as 10pm initially, followed by 24 hours a day for up to 10 days from Tuesday. At present, work starts at 7am and, besides vibrations and noise from work below, trucks enter and exit the site regularly.

A giant cavern for the Pyrmont station extends for 320 metres beneath the inner-city suburb

The Pyrmont station is one of nine being built along a 24-kilometre underground rail line between the Sydney CBD and Parramatta, which is due to open in 2032. The Herald revealed last week that the estimated cost of the mega project has blown out by $2 billion to at least $27.3 billion.

The Finucanes originally shifted out of their Pyrmont Street house in early 2023 to a rental in Enmore, the cost of which was covered by Sydney Metro.

Shortly after the large shed was built next door, their 1880s terrace house had become unlivable due to a main wall bending, a floor sinking and parts falling off the walls. Bolts fell into their small backyard on two occasions, sparking a brief stop to work next door.

Sydney Metro covered the cost of about $70,000 in fixes to their home due to the damage caused by the construction work.

Some 22 households in Pyrmont have now been offered “noise respite”, which includes alternative accommodation at a hotel or serviced apartment, during the 24 hour-a-day drilling from Tuesday.

Pyrmont home owner Margaret Kirkwood, who has been in hospital for the past two weeks after breaking her hip, said she and her husband were in their 80s and had no choice but to remain because of their personal circumstances. Her husband has been in and out of hospital for the past three months.

The couple, who have lived in their Pyrmont terrace for nearly 50 years, will have to use noise-cancelling headphones provided by Sydney Metro, and put up with their house shaking when drilling and hammering occurs.

Kirkwood said they felt helpless and feared that the 10 days of around-the-clock drilling would extend to a month or longer.

“I am all for the Metro – I’m not a NIMBY. It is about the fact that they are extending the hours to 24/7. The planes [using Sydney Airport] aren’t allowed to do it, so why is Metro?” she said.

“The whole house vibrates when they do this drilling. It really is quite cruel. I just think they have taken total advantage of our situation.”

While Sydney Metro will cover the cost of temporary accommodation, Finucane said it was an “absolute inconvenience” and not about the money. “We don’t want to go and sit in a hotel in the city. We could probably deal with going to get bags and clothes and that sort of thing, but elderly people [who are neighbours] can’t do that,” he said.

Sydney Metro said temporarily extending the hours for up to 10 days would eliminate up to four weeks of daytime hammering.

“Our contractors John Holland, CPB Contractors [and] Ghella have been working hard to engage with local residents, providing information and the offer of alternative accommodation during the nights of extended hours,” it said.

“Hammering equipment is being used to create a stable floor that will support platforms and tracks in the future Pyrmont station.”

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