Planning and Environment Act 1987 CASEY PLANNING SCHEME AMENDMENT C270 EXPLANATORY REPORT Who is the planning authority? This Amendment has been prepared by the Minister for Planning, who is the planning authority for this Amendment. This Amendment has been made at the request of the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP), part of the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority, which is an administrative office established under the Public Administration Act 2004, in relation to the Department of Transport (DOT). Land affected by the Amendment The Amendment makes changes to the Casey Planning Scheme. This Amendment applies to the land required for the Clyde Road, Berwick Level Crossing Removal Project (Project), shown as SCO5 on Casey Planning Scheme Map numbers 8SCO and 9SCO (Project Land). The Project Land is generally located in the immediate vicinity of the Clyde Road, Berwick level crossing. It includes the Pakenham rail corridor, Berwick Railway Station and associated commuter carparking areas to the north and south of the railway line. It includes nearby roads, extending approximately 2150 metres along the Pakenham rail corridor, approximately 1060 metres along Clyde Road between Keith Taylor Drive (to the north) and approximately 330 metres south of Kangan Drive (to the south). It also includes three privately owned commercial properties located along the western side of Clyde Road and part of Monash University land to the south-west of the level crossing for permanent and temporary construction purposes. What the Amendment does The Amendment inserts the Clyde Road, Berwick Level Crossing Removal Project, Incorporated Document, month 2019 (the Incorporated Document) into the Casey Planning Scheme by amending the Schedules to Clauses 45.12 (Specific Controls Overlay), 72.03 (What Does this Scheme Consist of?) and 72.04 (Documents Incorporated in this Planning Scheme). The Amendment also inserts new Planning Scheme Map Nos. 8SCO and 9SCO into the Casey Planning Scheme. The effect of the Incorporated Document will be to allow the use and development of the Project Land for the purposes of the Project in accordance with the control contained in the Incorporated Document, without the need for planning permits to be obtained under the Casey Planning Scheme. Strategic assessment of the Amendment Why is the Amendment required? The Amendment is required to facilitate the timely, coordinated and consistent delivery of the Project. The Project is part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to remove 75 dangerous and congested level crossings across Metropolitan Melbourne by 2025 which will increase road, rail and pedestrian safety and improve public transport facilities and efficiency. Page 1 of 13 Approximately 22,000 vehicles per day use the level crossing. It is estimated that Clyde Road will carry approximately 26,000 vehicles per day by 2021. To allow trains to pass through, boom gates must operate, causing lengthy delays to vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, bus services and emergency services near the level crossing, particularly during morning and evening peak periods. The boom gates are down for up to 37 minutes during the two-hour morning weekday peak period. The level crossing also constrains pedestrian movement between nearby bus stops and places of employment. Removal of the level crossing will allow for increased public transport capacity on the Pakenham rail line and facilitate improved pedestrian and cycling connections in the area. Clyde Road is a major arterial road, providing vital north-south road connections, connecting Princes Highway in the north and Princes Freeway in the south, playing a vital role in the connection of the roadways for the surrounding suburbs. Clyde Road is also the key arterial road connecting Berwick Village north of the level crossing and the Berwick Health and Education Precinct south of the level crossing. The Pakenham rail corridor provides metropolitan rail services between the Melbourne CBD and Pakenham. Growth of patronage on the Pakenham rail line continues to increase commensurate with the significant population growth within Melbourne’s south-east. Delays at the level crossing will increase in the future with the proposed increase in services on the Pakenham Line with the introduction of the Melbourne Metro Tunnel. Removal of this level crossing will reduce delays on this arterial road, improving traffic flow and efficiency of vehicle traffic within Berwick and the surrounding road network. The Project includes, but is not limited to, the following: a) Demolition, buildings and works for the removal of the level crossing at Clyde Road, Berwick on the Pakenham Railway Line. b) Road and railway works, including but not limited to, works to facilitate the grade separation of rail and road infrastructure and provision of new road and rail infrastructure including a new road underpass, relocation of utilities and installation of new utility infrastructure, earthworks, replacement of track infrastructure (including signals), access tracks, landscaping, vegetation removal and bicycle and pedestrian shared user paths. c) Use and development of land for a railway, including railway tracks and associated communications, signalling, overhead infrastructure and other rail related infrastructure. d) Use and development of land for a road, including associated communications, signalling, and other road related infrastructure. e) Buildings and works to facilitate the development of new publicly accessible spaces and public realm improvements including, but not limited to, streetscape and landscape works and associated infrastructure. f) Creation and alteration of access to roads. g) Relocation of telecommunications infrastructure. h) Associated road and rail infrastructure, including power upgrades and overhead infrastructure, cabling and signalling. i) Modification, removal and/or installation of bus stops, car parking, bicycle facilities, landscaping, publicly accessible spaces and loading and unloading facilities. j) Creation, removal or variation of easements. k) Ancillary activities, preparatory and enabling works, including but not limited to: i) Creating and using lay down areas and depots for construction purposes. ii) Stockpiling of excavation material. Page 2 of 13 iii) Constructing and using temporary site workshops and storage, car parking, administration and amenities buildings. iv) Removing, destroying and lopping of trees and removing vegetation, including native vegetation and dead native vegetation. v) Demolishing and removing buildings, structures, infrastructure and works. vi) Relocating, modifying and upgrading services and utilities. vii) Constructing fences, temporary site barriers and site security. viii) Constructing or carrying out works to create or alter roads, car parking areas, bunds, mounds, landscaping, drainage infrastructure, to excavate land, salvage artefacts and alter drainage. ix) Constructing and using temporary access roads, diversion roads and vehicle parking areas, loading and unloading areas, access paths and pedestrian walkways. x) Earthworks including cutting, stockpiling and removal of spoil, and formation of drainage works. xi) Creating or altering access to a road in a Road Zone, Category 1 or land in a Public Acquisition Overlay if the purpose of acquisition is for a Category 1 road. xii) Displaying construction, directional and identification signs. xiii) Subdividing and consolidating land. Removing the level crossing at Clyde Road will increase road, rail and pedestrian safety and improve public transport efficiency, helping to achieve the objectives for transport infrastructure in the metropolitan strategy Plan Melbourne (2017-2050), the Public Transport Victoria Network Development Plan - Metropolitan Rail (2012) and Trains, Trams, Jobs 2015 -2025 - Victorian Rolling Stock Strategy (2015). How does the Amendment implement the objectives of planning in Victoria? The Amendment implements the objectives of planning in Victoria as set out in Section 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 as follows: (a) to provide for the fair, orderly, economic and sustainable use, and development of land The Amendment facilitates a project that will ease road congestion, allowing improved flow of traffic and reducing travel times, by removing the level crossing at Clyde Road, a major arterial road. The Project will provide for more efficient use of existing infrastructure by contributing to improvements to the rail network, improving the safety and efficiency of the road network and local connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. (b) to provide for the protection of natural and man-made resources and the maintenance of ecological processes and genetic diversity The Project is located in the road reserve, rail corridor, surrounding car parking areas and private land. The Project Land is highly modified both physically and ecologically and the surrounding area is developed with transport infrastructure and industrial, health and education developments. Vegetation on the Project Land generally consists of introduced and planted vegetation, with some patches of remnant native vegetation near drainage lines and the rail line. The design of Project works will minimise impacts on native vegetation where possible. The Incorporated Document includes a number of measures to manage impacts on native vegetation, including: • An Environmental Management Strategy (EMS) must be prepared to provide an overarching framework for site or work specific measures