Project progress update - October

The end of the year is fast approaching and with it some key milestones in the design and approvals phase are coming closer to being realised.

Approvals update – Staverton to Hampshire Hills

Preparation of the Development Application and Environmental Impact Statement for Staverton to Hampshire Hills is well underway.

These two documents will form one consolidated 'application' that will enable the Tasmanian Planning Commission to assess the environmental, social and economic aspects of the project against the project assessment criteria and determine whether approvals will be granted and what conditions will be applied to allow the project to proceed to the construction phase.

The application is informed by a range of investigations and assessments that are being undertaken within the proposed transmission corridor.

Some of the investigations and assessments that are undertaken for the application include aboriginal and historic heritage, ecology, geology and geomorphology, noise and vibration, landscape and visual, social and economic as well as traffic and transport.

While a lot of the investigation work is now complete we still have some more surveying work to do.

We look forward to sharing the findings of the investigations with you through information sessions early next year. Keep an eye out in our upcoming newsletters to find out where and when we will be holding the sessions.

The Development Application along with the Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be submitted to the Tasmanian Planning Commission in early 2023.

Once the application is submitted, the community will be provided with a formal opportunity to make a written submission on the application when it is placed on public exhibition.

Notified Corridor - Staverton to Hampshire Hills

Another upcoming key milestone in the project is the making of the 'notified corridor'. The making of a 'notified corridor' is required as part of the assessment under the Major Infrastructure Development Approvals Act 1999.

The main purpose of putting a notified corridor in place is to ensure any future developments do not prevent the project from going ahead while it is in the approvals phase.

The notified corridor has been informed by 18 months of engagement with landowners, community and stakeholders, as well as the extensive program of site investigations which have helped us minimise impacts on the environment, areas of cultural sensitivity and the community.

If you would like to know more about these major project milestones email nwtd@tasnetworks.com.au.