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The Bass Coast, Cardinia and Casey Planning Schemes have been amended to allow the construction and operation of the Victorian Desalination Project, the Minister for Planning, Justin Madden announced today.
“These approvals are for the proposed desalination plant at Wonthaggi and its marine structures, water transfer pipeline and underground power supply. They mean that no permits are required under the relevant planning schemes,” Mr Madden said.
“The approvals enable a possible underground power supply to be co-located with the pipeline alignment for most of its 85-kilometre length, from the desalination plant site to an existing overhead power line easement at Pound Road in Clyde North.
“The proposed underground power would then diverge from the pipeline route and run along the power line easement to the Cranbourne Terminal Station.”
Mr Madden said these planning scheme changes followed the recent announcement from Premier that the Government’s preferred power source for the desalination plant is underground electricity from the grid.
These further planning approvals follow a comprehensive environmental assessment process which found that there would be no significant long-term or irreversible environmental impacts from the project.
The independent Inquiry also found the chosen site at Wonthaggi is suitable for the desalination plant.
Mr Madden said the desalination plant is a vital part of the Brumby Labor Government’s water strategy as set out in Our Water Our Future: The Next Stage of the Government’s Water Plan (2007).
Construction is due to start later this year and the project remains on track to begin delivering water by the end of 2011. |
