North East Link construction could result in more people opting to sell their properties to the state government

Property owners could choose to sell to the Andrews government rather than live through the construction of the $16 billion North East Link.

Property owners next to where Victoria’s biggest road project will be built could elect to sell to the government rather than live through construction chaos.

The $16 billion North East Link project is preparing to open a Voluntary Purchase Scheme where major works are planned near to the M80 in Greensborough, and at the southern end of the project in Bulleen.

There were 36 homes forcibly acquired for the mega project, triggering compensation and hardship payments in Watsonia, Yallambie, Greensborough and Bulleen.

Those homes have already been bulldozed and land cleared.

A Voluntary Purchase Scheme will be opened for the North East Link.

But the Herald Sun can reveal a further nine owners negotiated sales with the government through a VPS in Yallambie, where early works were most disruptive.

A further 100 businesses in the Bulleen industrial precinct were compulsorily acquired, with about half having shifted premises already.

The government says the “vast majority of remaining businesses have plans in place to move or close by the end of July”, while demolition of some vacant businesses has already started.

Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said refinements to designs had allowed Bulleen Art and Garden to remain in its current location.

Demolition of some vacant businesses near the North East Link has already started.

“The community asked for a longer tunnel and that’s what we’re building, along with a tree-lined Greensborough Rd boulevard, a massive tree planting program and more than 50 MCGs of open space across the entire program,” she said.

“The North East Link is a massive program of works – delivering this much-needed project in a built-up area does mean that we’ve had no choice but to acquire some homes and businesses.”

North East Link Project chief executive Duncan Elliott said support would be delivered to Bulleen businesses forced to move right up to mid-year.

But he said that “dates have been set to make sure we have the space ready to start building the North East Link tunnels”.

“We need to start making way for construction of the Manningham Road interchange and to be ready for the TBMs, and genuinely appreciate the hard work businesses have put into finding a new location while still running their businesses,” he said.

“I’ve personally met with a lot of these businesses and I know that for many it’s been long and hard process, especially when also dealing with impacts of Covid.”

Two 90m long tunnel boring machines have been ordered from Germany to build the road’s 6.5km tunnels, each weighing about 4000 tonnes.

Tunnelling is expected to begin in 2024, while the project is due to open in 2028.