More property acquisitions may be needed to make way for new $535m Bridgewater Bridge

MORE homes may have to be compulsorily acquired to make way for a new Bridgewater Bridge, the man tasked with preparing its business case says.

More properties may have to be compulsorily acquired to make way for a new Bridgewater Bridge. Picture: KIM EISZELE

MORE homes may have to be compulsorily acquired to make way for a new Bridgewater Bridge, the man tasked with preparing its business case says.

Infrastructure Tasmania is in the final stages of a business case for a $535 million bridge to replace the 70-year-old existing bridge, which has been beset by maintenance issues for years, with lifting span malfunctions continuing after a multimillion-dollar upgrade.

The Federal Government provided $6.4 million in 2012 to buy 24 properties at Bridgewater and Granton to make way for a new bridge.

Plans for that bridge have since changed with Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding announcing in April a new concept costed at $215 million less than the last design put forward by the previous government.

A concept drawing, not the final design, for a new Bridgewater Bridge. Picture: SUPPLIED

At the time Mr Hidding said the new bridge would follow the footprint of the last design, down river from the existing bridge, so no more property ­acquisitions would be required.

But Infrastructure Tasmania chief executive Allan Garcia told the Mercury some additional land acquisitions may be necessary.

“Three properties are still under negotiation from the acquisition process that began under the previous government.,” Mr Garcia said.

“There may be minor changes to local access resulting from the new design of the bridge.

“Any additional property acquisitions would likely be small in number and would be determined by the final design.

“Property owners will be fully consulted as the project progresses through the final design phase.”

A new Bridgewater Bridge topped the list of election commitments southern councils wanted during the July Federal election but no funding was forthcoming.

Work is not expected to start until 2019 or later, with Infra­structure Tasmania needing to put a business case for the next five-year round of the Commonwealth’s infrastructure investment plan.

Mr Garcia said technical work was to confirm the structure of the design would be finished in the next few months and a business case was expected to be submitted in early 2017.

Originally published as More property acquisitions may be needed to make way for new $535m Bridgewater Bridge