Suburban Rail Loop will transform Victoria's public transport system, connecting our suburbs and making travel easier and more convenient.

Suburban Rail Loop East (SRL East) will connect our growing health, education, retail and employment precincts in Melbourne’s south east between Cheltenham and Box Hill. A range of Initial Works are needed before major construction can get underway on Suburban Rail Loop.

Initial Works are planned at 6 project areas along the SRL East alignment, including Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood, Box Hill and at the site of the stabling facility in Heatherton.

Similar to routine infrastructure maintenance and renewal works that happen in our suburbs every day, activities will involve:

• relocating and protecting utilities such as gas, electrical, water, sewer and telecommunications services
• minor road modifications
• site levelling and ground improvement works
• site establishment works.

Works at the stabling facility site in Heatherton will involve site levelling, establishment of temporary construction facilities and flood protection works. Works at the site will also involve ground improvement trials. These trials will help inform noise and vibration mitigation measures for future ground improvement works.

To support delivery of the works, there will be temporary construction facilities set up along the alignment. These facilities include site offices, worker amenities and car parking, site access, gates, fencing and hoarding, equipment storage, laydown areas, and environmental, traffic and safety controls.

Initial Works are planned to start in 2022. Getting these works going will ensure major construction works on SRL East can get underway quickly with fewer disruptions to local communities and businesses.

Managing impacts

Before works start, we will engage with residents and businesses about activities planned in their area, what to expect and how any disruptions will be managed.

Site-specific plans with measures to mitigate or manage potential effects will be developed.

We will aim to minimise disruption and inconvenience where possible. However, we do anticipate some potential impacts including:

• changes to traffic conditions for drivers (including temporary speed reductions and lane closures), cyclists and pedestrians
• noise, vibration and dust from construction activities, machinery and vehicles
• removal of vegetation and trees, where required
• potential short-term impacts to driveway access and on-street car parking.

Planning and environmental assessment of Initial Works

The Minister for Planning has determined that the Initial Works can be considered under the Clause 52.30 – State Projects planning provision.

This planning provision provides a standardised planning process to facilitate the assessment of state projects to support Victoria’s economic recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This assessment process will include consideration of potential environmental, amenity and construction impacts of the Initial Works and a range of requirements must be met before the Initial Works can commence.

Community and stakeholder consultation on the Initial Works form an important part of the Clause 52.30 – State Projects assessment process. Feedback received will be considered by the Minister for Planning to inform the assessment of the project.

Planning approval for Initial Works

Planning approval for Initial Works will be sought separately from the declared Early and Main Works being assessed as part of the SRL East Environment Effects Statement (EES). If you wish to learn more about the SRL East EES process visit DELWP.

While the Initial Works will be considered and assessed separately, planning approval for Initial Works does not infer approval of works being assessed through the EES process.