Category Archives: St Kilda Rd living

Metro Rail, Metro Tunnel, St Kilda Rd living

Metro Rail EES update

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Things are happening very fast in this space.

Last week two of our experts represented us in the expert “conclaves”.  This is where the Metro Rail subject matter expert meets with various subject matter experts to try and find common ground – without lawyers!!

The attached two documents are the outcome documents from the Traffic and Air Quality sessions.Joint Expert Witness Statement – Air Quality_final [2183933]

Transport Conclave Joint Summary Report [2183934]

Today Jan and I attended the public hearing for the session on Air Quality.  The Metro Rail expert presented this MM180_MMRA_Lakmaker_.  Various panel members and others then had a chance to cross examine.  Paul Chiappi (our barrister) asked about 35 minutes of questions.

It was fairly heavy going and legalistic – I was pleased that Paul understood our issues and made sure that Botanica was heard loud and clear.

Next week is traffic and noise/vibration.

The schedule is MMRP-Timetable (subject to change of course)

If you want some light reading – have a look here.  Hundreds of pages are being added daily.

Metro Rail, Metro Tunnel, St Kilda Rd living

Melbourne Tunnel Panel – Visit to the Botanica

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Just to let you all know that today we had a bus load of visitors.

The entire panel for the Metro Tunnel EES Inquiry / Advisory Committee plus various others did a walk from Edmund Herring Oval, along Domain Rd, along our side of St Kilda Rd, back past the Royce and then back to Edmund Herring Oval.

Details of the Committee are here.

We managed to have them stop out the front of our building and I highlighted our lower driveway issue and Nick (Our rep from PP Partners) pointed out the windows / air conditioners on balconies to emphasize that issue to them.

I am not sure how much it helps our cause but I am sure it does not do any harm to the panel better understanding our issues.

 

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.