Councils raise major concerns over Suburban Rail Loop laws

A showdown is looming over new laws to be introduced for the Suburban Rail Loop that would give the Andrews government greater control over planning decisions.

Councils fear they will lose their say in planning large swathes of their municipality under new laws to be introduced for the Suburban Rail Loop.

One local government has warned the changes could affect their control over as much as a quarter of the land in their boundaries.

The Andrews government will on Thursday push on with legislation for the mammoth project which gives planning powers to a new Suburban Rail Loop Authority (SRLA) and Minister Jacinta Allan.

The laws include controls over zones around future stations, up to a 1600m radius, which will be earmarked for denser residential and commercial towers.

The state government says a uniform approach is needed for the project as it runs across the boundaries of 11 separate councils with different regulations.

Early works have begun on the first stage of the underground railway line which is forecast to cost about $34.5bn.

The Suburban Rail Loop will cost about $34.5bn to build.

Suburban Rail Loop Minister Jacinta Allan will gain new powers under the plans. Picture: Luis Ascui

Under the new laws, the SRLA will have the power to stop “conflicting developments” around the station sites and councils will need to obtain the consent of the rail loop minister for planning scheme changes in these areas.

The Premier will also be given new powers to declare if future developments are Suburban Rail Loop projects.

But local councils along the path of the loop have flagged concerns.

In a letter seen by the Herald Sun, Whitehorse City Council said it was worried the legislation could effect their control for about a quarter of their municipality and allow the SRLA to make changes without notice.

An artist’s impression of the Monash Station design as part of the Suburban Rail Loop.

Mayor Andrew Munroe said the council understood the need to improve processes for major projects.

“However we are concerned that the SRL Bill, which puts forward broad-ranging powers, has the potential to take power from councils without proper scrutiny or consideration of the local impacts,” he said.

“We want strong processes in place to ensure the planning, delivery and operation of the project are undertaken with the community’s interests in mind and with meaningful community input that genuinely influences the project.”

The Andrews government is hoping to claw back some money for the project through commercial charges linked to increases to land values and developments around the stations.

Whitehorse Mayor Andrew Munroe has raised concerns over the rail loop plan. Picture: Paul Loughnan

A map of the Suburban Rail Loop’s current planned route.

Ms Allan said the government would partner with local communities and councils at every stage of planning the project.

“Suburban Rail Loop is an enormous project being delivered over decades – as we deliver this election commitment, it’s important we provide certainty and consistency to planning and construction of the rail loop through Melbourne’s middle suburbs, while supporting development of the broader precincts around each station,” she said.

The opposition’s leader in the Legislative Council David Davis said councils had pointed to serious problems with the government’s approach.

“They want to take powers away from local communities,” he said.

Originally published as Councils raise major concerns over Suburban Rail Loop laws