Victoria’s most expensive transport project in history has been given planning approval

Property owners facing years of construction chaos as a rail line is built under their suburbs will be given the chance to sell their homes to the government.

Some property owners facing construction chaos when a $34.5bn rail line is built under middle Melbourne could choose to be acquired rather than live through the commotion.

Victorian Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has given the green light for the Suburban Rail Loop East to be built between Cheltenham and Box Hill, saying that most impacts highlighted in an Environment Effects Statement could be “mitigated to some extent”.

The approval is a vital step in the design and development of the 26km tunnel, which the government wants to build by 2035 and eventually extend to Melbourne Airport and then through to Werribee by mid-century.

But Ms D’Ambrosio agreed with the EES panel that called for new voluntary acquisitions guidelines in Box Hill, due to the disproportionate impact on some properties.

“In some cases, mitigation measures will not be able to avoid long-term construction impacts and residential and business property owners will suffer severe consequences from the project,” she says.

The first section, between Cheltenham and Box Hill, could be open to passengers by 2035.

Eligibility should also extended to Glen Waverley and Clayton premises, based on how far properties are from construction zones, their special needs or circumstances, the length of construction chaos they face, and “access constraints”.

“There will be significant construction impacts on some businesses remaining within the Clayton, Glen Waverley and Box Hill Activity Centres that could make some businesses unviable,” Ms D’Ambrosio says.
Hundreds of properties are already set to be compulsorily acquired to build six new stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash University, Glen Waverley, Burwood, and Box Hill.

In those areas there will be precinct plans developed to allow for skyscrapers and increased residential density – but Ms D’Ambrosio backed that process being done later, rather than before the project is built.

An artist’s impression of the proposed Monash Station. Picture: Supplied

The Minister acknowledged the impact of the project’s planned train stabling yard in Heatherton, in an area Labor promised $25m for a Chain of Parks in 2018 – a promise now broken.

Nearby residents and representatives from the Move the Train Yard group said the Minister had “rubber stamped the SRL East project, despite raising significant concerns about the EES preparation and the actions required to ‘mitigate’ the numerous impacts on community health, safety and amenity”.

They say the green wedge that makes Melbourne so liveable should not be destroyed by the project, and the stabling yard should be shifted.

Shadow Treasurer David Davis said the EES process was “half baked” and said the government was set to “invade Green wedge land”.

The opposition has pledged to audit the project and review the location of the stabling yard if it is elected in November.