Seven years of construction pain in Burwood for Deakin University rail hub

The Suburban Rail Loop station for Deakin University will see tunnels bored under homes and a daily peak of 370 trucks in the area.

Dozens of homes and businesses near Deakin University in Burwood face seven years of construction disruption while a new Suburban Rail Loop station is built.

The planned new precinct, which would include an overpass over the busy Burwood Hwy, would be a fifth stop along SRL East — a 26km line between Cheltenham and Box Hill.

The government says it plans to acquire 13 homes to build it, but more properties will have a tunnel built just below them and be impacted by vibration and noise during construction.

New maps show “project land” stretches about 500m south of Burwood Hwy, taking over parkland and local streets including McComas Grove and parts of Sinott St.

Over the past week the Herald Sun has revealed the extent of the chaos expected around stations being constructed at Cheltenham, Glen Waverley, Clayton, and Monash; while Box Hill will be detailed next.

Four businesses in Burwood will be bulldozed, while an incredible daily peak of 370 trucks will descend on the area to build Tunnel Boring Machine support facilities — including a slurry treatment plant — and a power supply substation.

Despite the breadth of the precinct’s construction footprint, the project’s Environmental Effects Statement says “works are not expected to result in any significant impacts to general traffic

movement on the local and wider network”.

A new Burwood station would include an overpass over the busy Burwood Hwy.

Construction will disrupt the area and see a daily peak of 370 trucks descending on the suburb.

“The SRL station would provide rail access to this precinct for the first time and new bus

interchange services directly into the precinct area,” it says.
“A new tram stop on Burwood Highway would provide direct access to the SRL Station and bus interchange.”

Construction is expected to be done in stages, with public hearings on the EES to consider how to protect park and waterways in the area.

Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin said the station plan was “a once in a generation opportunity to recast how Deakin forms part of the 20-minute neighbourhood precinct”.

“We are working closely with Suburban Rail Loop Authority to ensure the best possible outcome for our community,” he said.

Deakin University vice chancellor Iain Martin said the project was a once in a generation opportunity. Picture: Aaron Francis

About 827,000 cubic metres of soil will be removed to build the station 19m below ground, with 11 pick-up and drop-off facilities built above ground.

A trip from Cheltenham to Burwood would take less than 20 minutes — saving up to 30 minutes on current travel times — once the line opens in 2035.

Job numbers in Burwood are expected to double to 24,000 by 2056, with population growing to about 44,500 people.

Suburban Rail Loop Authority chief executive Frankie Carroll said the project was “mostly working underground” but some impacts were unavoidable.

“We are doing everything we can to carefully manage construction in these built-up areas to keep community disruption to a minimum,” he said.

Originally published as Seven years of construction pain in Burwood for Deakin University rail hub