Locals who complained about building noise ‘sent $600 headphones’

Residents who live above underground construction for the WestConnex project say they were offered noise-cancelling headphones to keep quiet over the racket.

Work is underway underneath Waterloo Street in Rozelle in Sydney’s Inner West and locals say the noise is non-stop.

“Roaring, rolling thunder day and night,” David Anderson told 9News.

When Mr Anderson complained to contractor John Holland CPB, he said he received a pair of $600 noise-cancelling headphones.

He claimed he was then sent a legal letter asking he not talk about them, and that the company be released from any claims that arise from the project.

“This community needs respite and they make it conditional,” he said.

Another resident, Mark Wallis, said it was “an act of bullying”.

“It’s a complete act of bastardry really and I bet they’re highly embarrassed by it because I’m sure they didn’t think a confidentiality agreement like that would be made public,” Mr Wallis said.

John Holland CPB did not respond to media requests today.

But Paul McCormick from Transport for NSW said: “Clearly we’ve not communicated to the best that we could.

“But our teams go and speak to the residents every day on these projects and all I ask is the residents speak to my community team and we will work with them to come up with solutions.”

The underground tunnelling isn’t the only headache for residents in the street.

Next week, workers are supposed to start digging up the road to lay cabling for the Metro West.

Mr Anderson said he’ll keep the headphones – but he won’t be signing the letter.