North East Link: Banyule, Boroondara, Whitehorse, Manningham councils go to trial
The future of the controversial $16 billion North East Link is under a cloud, with four Melbourne councils preparing for a Supreme Court challenge which could send the freeway plan back to the drawing board.
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Four Melbourne councils want North East Link re-designed to minimise the $16 billion road project’s environmental impact on their communities.
Banyule, Whitehorse, Manningham and Boroondara Councils took their fight to the Supreme Court last Friday after they issued joint legal action in Februrary.
The councils are challenging North East Link’s independent advisory committee hearing process and Planning Minister Richard Wynne’s assessment of its Environmental Effects Statement, which he ticked off in December.
They believe the statement did not adequately assess the impact of the works and was prepared without an approved final design for the project.
In a joint statement, the councils said last Friday’s directions hearing was the first step in its challenge against the Victorian Government’s process and decisions on the development of North East Link.
They did not comment further as the matter was before the court.
Justice Greg Garde ordered the State Government to file its defence against the decisions made and for the councils to advise of any documents it wishes to contest by next month.
A further directions hearing will be held on July 31 followed by a three-day trial beginning on September 14.
North East Link Authority chief executive Duncan Elliott said the appeal would not affect preparations for the project, with 34km of pipes and drains and 95 other utilities being moved so construction could start next year.
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Mr Elliott said the final design and the project’s builder would be announced late this year.
“North East Link is Victoria’s biggest road project and we are not wasting a day in delivering this long-overdue piece of infrastructure which will provide relief to motorists and the community,” he said.