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Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor Planning Study

Delivering Melbourne's Newest Sustainable Communities

Update: release of proposals
The Victorian Government is seeking public comment on alternative options to some of the projects related to Delivering Melbourne’s Newest Sustainable Communities. These are:

the proposed route of the Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 (OMR/E6) Transport Corridor; a significant long term planning proposal announced in the Government’s $38 billion Victorian Transport Plan
the proposed route of the Regional Rail Link; and
proposals for the creation of grassland reserves.

Each proposal identifies that the use and development of some land in outer Melbourne will need to change, in accordance with the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

If you own or occupy land that is likely to be affected by one of these alternative options, you should receive a detailed package of information and maps by mail by Tuesday, 25 August. If you do not receive the package, and believe you are affected, please call us immediately on 1800 090 789.

See detailed maps below of the proposed route options to vary the OMR/E6 Transport Corridor.

To find out if you are affected by one of these alternative options see Melbourne Planning Maps Online.

Information sessions
Information sessions about these alternative options will be held in Melbourne’s north, north-west and west on the following dates:

Suburb	Time	Date	Address
Craigieburn	4 pm - 7 pm	Monday 31 August 2009	Craigieburn Functions Lounge 59 Craigieburn Road West Craigieburn Vic 3064 Next to Leisure Centre Melway Ref 387 A9
South Morang	4 pm - 7 pm	Wednesday 2 September 2009	Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre 35 Ferres Boulevard South Morang Vic 3752 Melway Ref 183 A10
Rockbank	4 pm - 7 pm	Thursday 3 September 2009	Rockbank Community Hall Leakes Road Rockbank Vic 3335 Melway Ref 334 H9

Displays with information and maps can also be viewed at VicRoads offices:

Caroline Springs	9am - 5 pm	Monday to Friday until Monday 21 September 2009	VicRoads Western Projects Office Level 1, 2-8 Lake Street Caroline Springs Vic 3023 Melway Ref 356 H10
Somerton	9am - 5 pm	Monday to Friday until Monday 21 September 2009	VicRoads Northern City projects Office 814 Cooper Street Somerton Vic 3062 Melway Ref 180 G10
Sunshine	8:30 am - 4:30 pm 8:30 am - 5 pm	Monday to Thursday Friday until Monday 21 September 2009	VicRoads Metropolitan North West Region Office 499 Ballarat Road Sunshine VIc 3020 Melway Ref 26 G10

Background
Population forecasts indicate Melbourne’s population will reach 5 million sooner than expected. Meeting the needs of our rapidly growing population, and safeguarding our liveability into the future depend on:

having a choice of affordable housing options available;
meeting the private and public transport needs of people and businesses;
protecting our highly valued open space and biodiversity; and
making sure infrastructure and services are in place and ready to support communities as they grow.

Melbourne @ 5 million and The Victorian Transport Plan, which were released by the Government at the end of 2008, proposed a number of initiatives to meet these challenges including reviewing the Urban Growth Boundary, establishing grassland reserves in Melbourne's west, and providing major transport infrastructure.

This is a summary of those proposals:

A proposed route for the Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor .
This will create a major transport corridor including road and rail links between Werribee, Melton, Tullamarine and Craigieburn / Mickleham; a road link from the Metropolitan Ring Road in Thomastown to Donnybrook, and a road link from the Deer Park Bypass to the Outer Metropolitan Ring. A study area around Bulla was also identified for a possible future link between the Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 and Melbourne Airport. Refer to Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor Project for further details.
Review of Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary
This is to ensure enough land is available to meet the needs of Melbourne’s growing population. The review has recommended re-zoning some land so it is available for housing in Melbourne’s:
• west (between Melton, Caroline Springs and Werribee);
• north (from Epping North and Craigieburn to Beveridge and around Sunbury); and
• south-east (south-east of Cranbourne).

Detailed information is available about the proposed changes to the Urban Growth Boundary, including:
• Maps of the proposed revisions; and
• A report summarising the proposed changes and the rationale behind them.
The Regional Rail Link
This centrepiece of the Government’s $38 billion Victorian Transport Plan will be the biggest expansion of Melbourne’s rail network in 25 years. The taskforce proposed a route for the 40 kilometre, twin-track rail link, which will run from west of Werribee to Southern Cross Station via Tarneit and Sunshine, separating regional and metropolitan train services.

Detailed information is available about the proposed route, including:
• Maps of the proposed route; and
• A report summarising why the proposed route has been chosen.
Strategic Impact Assessment on Biodiversity
The taskforce considered the impacts of revising the Urban Growth Boundary on Melbourne’s environment and biodiversity, in accordance with the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 .

This assessment identified some key locations of national environmental significance. It recommends that, in order to protect these, two major grasslands reserves be created in Melbourne’s west.

Detailed information is available of the Strategic Impact Assessment, and the proposal to create two major grasslands reserves, including:
• A copy of the Strategic Impact Assessment;
• Maps of the proposed grasslands reserves; and
• A report summarising the rationale for creating the reserves, and their proposed location.

These projects will allow 134,000 new homes to be built in Melbourne’s west, north, north west and south-east over the next 25 years. Land can be set aside now for the community and public infrastructure (including road and transport links) that residents and businesses expect. Areas of open space and of particular natural significance can be preserved now.

For more information about the package of projects, please visit the Delivering Melbourne’s Newest Sustainable Communities website.

Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor Project
The Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor will be a nearly 100 kilometre long high-speed transport link for people and freight in Melbourne’s north and west, creating new road and rail transport links through the Werribee, Melton, Tullamarine, Craigieburn / Mickleham and Epping / Thomastown areas.

It will be a freeway standard road, capable of up to four lanes in each direction and four railway tracks in the median for interstate freight and high-speed passenger trains between Werribee and Kalkallo and a freeway standard road elsewhere.

Once complete, the project will:

create better connections between key international transport hubs such as Melbourne Airport, Avalon Airport and the Port of Geelong
improve access to the proposed Donnybrook/Beveridge Interstate Rail Terminal
serve as an important travel and freight route to interstate and regional destinations
link residential and employment growth areas in the north and west of Melbourne
improve access in this major employment corridor, which includes Avalon Airport, Werribee, Melton, Melbourne Airport, Mickleham and Donnybrook

This transport corridor is central to the Government’s $38 billion Victorian Transport Plan and crucial to the social and economic development of communities in these areas.

Proposed route options
A recommended transport route has been identified and now some alternative options are being investigated. The original route and locations of the alternative options are shown on the attached map [PDF, 752KB]

In response to submissions received on the proposals and new information provided, a number of options have been proposed to the Outer Metropolitan Ring/ E6 Transport Corridor and the associated access restoration roads. These options are being considered in the vicinity of:

Our study has also identified land requirements for this proposed route and for the options.

Once the Government has made a decision on it, we will need to reserve land – this will enable land to be acquired shortly before construction gets underway, which is unlikely to occur before 2020.

If you own or occupy land affected by one of the proposed options, you should receive a detailed package of information and maps by mail by Tuesday, 25 August. If you don't receive the package but believe you are affected, please call us immediately on 1800 090 789. For some general information on land acquisition see Land Acquisition brochure [PDF, 132KB, 8pp].

To find out if you are affected by one of these alternative options see Melbourne Planning Maps Online.

Community consultation
We are seeking public submissions on the proposal before the government makes a decision. This decision will take into account the community’s views. You can comment on the proposed route options.

How to make a submission
Owners and occupiers of land affected by the alternative options are encouraged to consider all information available and make a submission.

There are two ways to make a submission about the alternative options:

Email your submission to planning.melbourne@dpcd.vic.gov.au or
Send your submission by post to Growth Areas Authority, Level 6, 35 Spring Street, Melbourne 3000.

Submissions close at 5:00 pm on Monday 21 September 2009.
All submissions will be considered by the Victorian Government before it makes a decision.

Managing the environment
Our Planning Assessment Report compares a range of options, documents the proposed route, identifies key impacts and sets out proposed measures to reduce environmental and cultural heritage impacts.

Next steps
Construction on this proposed project is not expected to start before 2020. However, it is crucial we plan ahead so we can continue to meet the transport needs of our growing communities.

People will have until 5:00pm on Monday, 21 September 2009 to make a submission. After that, the government will make a decision on the final route and VicRoads will begin the process of reserving land for future construction by the means of a Public Acquisition Overlay.

INTERPRETER: If you do not speak English, please call 03 9280 0752 and a telephone interpreter will assist you with your call.

More information
Information Sheet - Delivering Melbourne’s Newest Sustainability Communities projects alternative options.