All posts by Gary Buck

Metro Tunnel, St Kilda Rd living

EES enquiry on Metro Tunnel

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Apologies for the lack of updates recently, I was travelling the Kimberley …back now and here is the catch up post on Metro Tunnel (was called Metro Rail)

See attached reports that were submitted on our behalf last Friday

Statement of Mr Goddard

Statement of Dr Bellair

Statement of Mr Kiriakidis

A big issue that keeps coming up is information control from Metro Tunnel.  A good example is our emergency exit – they have agreed but it is not in the base documents.  They are now trying to solve the problem by issuing Technical advisory notes, you can see them here http://www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/planning/panels-and-committees/current-panels-and-committees/melbourne-metropolitan-rail-inquiry
Our exit is covered in Note 15.
This also causes issues with maps and final road designs
Our experts have picked up many things…just a few are
– High level of Silica ….issue with possible silicosis
– Noise worse than predicted
– Dust models flawed / method of moving waste is contradictory (piped or trucked?)
– Dedicated commercial parking bays (outside 400 St K Rd) for the station
Next steps
  • Conclave of experts next week
  • Bus tour of sites by the panel members (and others) next Tuesday and Wednesday.  I expect that they will be stopping here on Tuesday
  • Hearing starts August 22
  • Our slot is Sept 21 – Our barrister, Paul Chiappi has 3 hour slot.  He will have our issues and possible solutions

This is our only real opportunity to have a positive influence of this massive project.  The potential impact on the building and our property values could be very significant if our submission is not taken seriously.

Feedback welcome

 

City of Port Phillip, Development, St Kilda Rd living

2 Bowen Cres development proposal

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When the original development proposal came out for 2 Bowen Cres, I lodged a ‘complaint’ with the City of Port Phillip.  My major concerns were

  1. They had asked for exemption for full number of parking bays required by Council
  2. Apartment sizes were very small but within Council requirements
  3. Traffic flow during construction would be an issue
  4. The developer’s wind expert had recommended some treatments to reduce the wind tunneling impact.  I requested that those recommendations were adopted.

I also requested that the developer make a contribution towards improving the park.

Tonight I attended a ‘mediation session’, attended by around 7 residents, the developer, the developer’s team and City of PP members.

  • Bays have been increased from 206 to 223 – now meeting council minimum
  • Apartment sizes unchanged
  • Traffic flow is not a planning issue but is an issue that must be addressed if / when they get their planning permit.  At that time they need (with other things) a traffic management plan
  • They had incorporated all recommendations by wind expert.

Developer also said that most optimistic start time is mid-2017 and most optimistic development time is 2 years, but all is dependent on selling apartments.  He didn’t comment on the park and City of PP said it is not mandatory.

He also said that the car park now only has 215 bays operational

Guy that owns the TAB building was also there and not happy about 18 storey building being built – but again it is within council guidelines.

Next step is Planning Committee mtg on September 20.

Metro Rail, St Kilda Rd living

Latest news from Metro Rail

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WORLD’S BEST BID TO BUILD THE METRO TUNNEL
The shortlisted bidders for Metro Tunnel’s $6 billion “Tunnel and Stations” Public Private Partnership (PPP) were announced earlier today.

The shortlisted bidders are:

  • Moving Melbourne Together – comprising Pacific Partnerships, CPB Contractors, Ghella, Salini Impregilo, Serco and Macquarie Capital
  • Continuum Victoria – comprising ACCIONA Infrastructure, Ferrovial Agroman, Honeywell, Downer EDI and Plenary Origination
  • Cross Yarra Partnership – comprising Lendlease Engineering, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital

Each shortlisted bidder brings together builders who have extensive rail and tunnelling expertise and have worked on some of the biggest rail projects around the world, including Crossrail in London, Express Rail Link in Hong Kong, Barcelona Metro Line 9 in Spain and Rome Metro Line 1 in Italy.

The PPP will build and fit-out the nine-kilometre Metro Tunnel and the five new underground stations at Arden, Parkville, CBD North, CBD South and Domain.

The shortlisted bidders will now respond to a soon-to-be-released formal Request for Proposal and will prepare detailed bids for evaluation.

The PPP contract is expected to be awarded by the end of 2017, with major tunnel and station excavation on the Metro Tunnel to begin in 2018

There is a good video here

Metro Rail, St Kilda Rd living

More Metro Rail news

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I met with the Metro Rail guys and our lawyers on Friday to discuss our EES submission.  In those conversations, the Metro Rail guys gave us a few updates.

  1. The option of using Fawkner Park as a Tunnel Boring Site (meaning that we will only have one tunnel boring machine site at 400 St K Rd) has been dropped.  There is a little more info here
  2. A contract has been let for the sewer relocation work.  That is largely Domain Rd.
  3. Buildings like ours will get a pre-work integrity check at Metro Rail cost.
  4. The current plan is to erect an acoustic shed to house the Domain work site.  It will be roughly 3 stories high.
  5. Material coming out of the tunnel will be a slurry.  It will be piped to Edmund Herring Oval for dewatering and the soil will be trucked away from there.
  6. During the major work, traffic lanes and trams will be on the other side of St K Rd at around Bowen Cres with the work site on our side.  The traffic will then swing over to our side near Bowen Lane.  This is to allow the right station positioning and right tram angles.  This has not changed since early designs.
  7. They have done extensive work to ensure access to our basement carpark.  Will be a little complex and entry likely to be via left turn from Bowen Cres and not directly from St K Rd.  Will be 7*24 via traffic management person, like a private driveway extension.

Little is finalised but I am happy with the level of engagement and discussion.  All of these matters are likely to be discussed at our panel hearing.

Metro Rail, St Kilda Rd living

Draft EES submission

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16-07-02_DRAFT Botanica Melbourne Metro EES Submission

This is the draft submission for the consideration of the Committee.  After receiving feedback from a number of owners / residents, I believe that this document reasonably represent those overall concerns.

Please be aware that our legal advice is that this document should be kept at a fairly high level and that we make more detailed claims at the hearings in August / September.

You should also be aware that this is only the draft version and not the final version.

Our legal advice is also that we are better served by one strong overall submission than numerous small personal submissions.  In that light, I would prefer you give me feedback on this document rather than make your own submission.  But if you still feel the need to make your own submission, I understand and respect that decision.

Gary

City of Port Phillip, Metro Rail, St Kilda Rd living

City of Port Phillip and Metro Rail..more

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I attended the City of Port Phillip meeting last night.  They were discussing their EES submission on Metro Rail.  At the suggestion of the Deputy Mayor (Serge Thomann), I made a brief presentation (max of 3 minutes allowed).

A copy of my script is attached.2016 06 City of PP submission

There was only one other person making a submission – he was lobbying to have the Boer War Memorial moved permanently to the Shrine area.

I felt my submission was well received.

  • Cr Amanda Stevens asked that the emergency exit issue be included in the Council’s submission.  The Council rep did state that the Metro Rail people had assured him that Metro Rail had already been considered and agreed to this, but agreed to alter the submission.
  • Cr Thomann pushed that the tree philosophy of “remove late/ replace early” with mature trees was a very good idea.  He also supported the ‘don’t waste money on bike lanes’ – but didnt’t get much traction.
  • The Mayor (Bernadene Voss) was very supportive and made the comment – we are absolutely committed to keep the local community involved and informed.  When I was talking to her before the meeting she said that the real time monitoring that I was proposing, had recently been done on a project in Port Melbourne and worked very well.

There was an interesting aside when I said that the City of PP had a very poor record with our street tree.  The Mayor turned to the CEO and he made a note.  Perhaps they will plant a new mature tree, just in time for it to be removed!!

The Boer War guy failed in his attempt to permanently move their monument.