Questions about Impacts and compensation
| 1. Will private land be acquired or will an easement be put across it? |
| Land has been acquired at the three major installations: the high-lift water pump station at Sheoak, low-lift water pump station at Killingworth and for the high-voltage sub-station at Yea. All this land has been purchased at market rates. For the remainder of the 70km Sugarloaf Pipeline route, Melbourne Water is currently negotiating to acquire an easement. An easement is a legal right to use another’s land for a specific purpose. In the case of the Sugarloaf Pipeline, the easement is for the pipeline to exist under the owner’s land and to ensure ongoing access for maintenance. The Sugarloaf Pipeline is not compulsory acquiring freehold possession of that strip of land. When the project is completed and the ground reinstated to its original condition, farmers and other landholders will be free to use their land (except for constructing buildings or planting deep-rooted vegetation over the easement) as they please. |
| 2. How wide is the easement? |
| The easement is generally 15 metres wide on private land. During construction a corridor approximately 30 metres wide was required. |
| 3. What compensation is available? |
| Two types of compensation are available for direct impacts from the Sugarloaf Pipeline project. The first is where an interest in land is compulsorily acquired for the registration of an easement. Melbourne Water can compulsorily acquire the easement via a process outlined in the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986 (Vic). Compensation for the use of the workspace when land is entered or occupied for construction purposes is also available. Compensation will be assessed by an independent certified practising valuer. This process is explained in more detail in the fact sheets Compensation [May 2009] and Compensation under the Water Act [May 2009]. |
| 4. Will land be reinstated after construction? |
| Yes. The Sugarloaf Pipeline Alliance is spending $21 million on reinstatement. We are talking to landowners, consulting with soil, agricultural and revegetation experts and using specialised contractors to ensure the job is done right. The Alliance is obligated by law to reinstate land to the same or better condition than we found it. The reinstatement process is explained in more detail in the fact sheet 'Reinstatement' [June 2009]. |
