Welcome backAs owner and operator of the Richmond Terminal Station, SP AusNet wishes to keep local residents and other stakeholders informed about its plans for a major upgrade of this facility.

The Richmond Terminal Station Upgrade Project As outlined in Newsletter 1, the Richmond Terminal Station is an essential and integral component of Victoria’s electrical infrastructure. The station has operated for more than 40 years in its current form and is now in need of a major upgrade.

The proposed upgrade will involve replacing most of the current external electrical switchgear with new more compact switchgear, which will be housed in three new buildings.

The terminal station must remain operational throughout construction so all upgrade works must take place in a series of separate stages. This means that the construction program will take approximately five years from commencement to completion.

Community Consultation In February 2011, SP AusNet commenced a program of consultation with local residents and other stakeholders to keep people informed about the project.

Activities To date our community consultation program has included:

• delivery of 800 copies of Newsletter 1; • receipt of completed feedback forms, and • door knocking at more than 70 neighbouring residences and

face-to-face discussions with residents who live close by. Information received has helped us develop a proposal that takes into account local values and the character of the area.

Findings Our consultation has aided our understanding of local issues and values including:

• the value of parks in the area to locals for socialising, sport, leisure, exercise (including personal training clinics) and the amenity benefits of public ‘green’ space;

• the pressures on local traffic and car parking, which is exacerbated by non-locals who use the local roads and car parks;

• the value placed on screening and landscaping around the terminal station and a preference for the terminal station to be better integrated with the adjacent parkland areas;

• concerns over change of use of the site; • traffic and noise disruptions during construction; • health and Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMFs) associated with

the terminal station, and • the importance of providing a safe environment for the

Richmond Primary School.

Where are we now in the process? A number of specialist technical studies have been completed, which collectively provide an assessment of the impact of the upgrade proposal. The results will be incorporated into the final design and included in SP AusNet’s Planning Application to Yarra City Council.

An architectural firm (Denton Corker Markshall) has prepared concept designs, which we believe are complementary with the local parkland setting and the existing streetscape character.

Next steps SP AusNet intends to submit a planning application to the Yarra City Council for the upgrade project in July 2011. Subsequently, this application will go on public exhibition for community comment.

Community Information Session Prior to a planned formal public exhibition (through the planning permit application process), we would welcome an opportunity to meet and discuss our proposal with you.

You are invited to attend a public information session on the project. It will be held in Meeting Room 2, first floor, Richmond Town Hall, 333 Bridge Road, Richmond.

Please come along at anytime between 4pm and 7.30pm, Thursday 16 June 2011 and chat with our staff and view our more detailed displays.

If you cannot make it to this session and would like to find out more about the project, please contact us on the details provided below.

RICHMOND TERMINAL STATION UPGRADE PROJECT

Newsletter 2 - June 2011

Allan Bain Reserve View As shown the 22kV, 66kV and 220kV switchyards will be replaced by more compact switchgear that will be housed in buildings.

The design approach is to play down the visual impact of the buildings. This will be achieved by using different cladding materials, colours and outlines, effectively camouflaging the facility and reducing its overall visual impact.

It is proposed that a Digital Print Cladding be used for the 22kV and 66kV buildings.

CityLink View The new 220kV building on the southern boundary of the site is the largest built form in the proposed development. This building fronts CityLink and the Yarra River so it doesn’t impact as heavily on local residents.

As such, there is a greater opportunity for a more abstract design approach with the possibility of being more distinct and expressive.

It is proposed that a Perforated Aluminium Cladding be used for this building. A digitally created image is produced in the cladding from different diameter perforations in the aluminium.

Frequently Asked Questions Discussions with residents have raised some common queries, such as:

Will site works put pressure on car parking in local streets, particularly those around the site?

SP AusNet is aware of this potential issue. During construction it is planned to:

• arrange alternative parking off site for workers and arrange transport for them to the site by bus, and

• make parking space available for construction workers on the site, at various stages of the works, as is practical.

Once the upgrade is complete, sufficient parking will be available on site to suit normal operations.

Why will construction take so long?

The upgrade of a live terminal station is a complex undertaking. The fact that the terminal station must remain operational means that the upgrade needs to be strategically staged. Works need to occur at specific locations at certain times, allowing for the remainder of the site to continue operating as normal. Thus, there will be periods of high activity, as well as periods of little activity. The five year construction schedule is simply the anticipated time period from the date works commence to project completion.

Which transport routes will be used for construction?

A specialist traffic management consultant has investigated traffic conditions surrounding the site and recommended transport routes that suit the proposed traffic activities and minimise community disruption. These preliminary assessments and recommendations are currently being considered by SP AusNet.

A Construction Environmental Management Plan and a Transport Management Plan will be prepared, in consultation with relevant authorities, to control traffic movements for the duration of construction works.

An ongoing program of community engagement will provide information about the management of transport associated with this project so that stakeholders who may be impacted can be kept informed.

Existing view

Panoramic photograph - Existing view

Photomontage – Concept Design

22kV66kV

Photomontage – Concept Design

220kV Building

Concept Designs

Contact UsPhone 1300 4636 787Email richmondts@sp-ausnet.com.auWeb www.sp-ausnet.com.auMail The Consultation Manager

Richmond Terminal Station Locked Bag 14051 Melbourne City Mail Centre VIC 8001

If you need a translator, please call 13 14 50

Frequently Asked Questions (cont.)Once completed, what will the development look like?

Most of the outdoor switchgear, currently visible, will be replaced with equipment housed in three large buildings. Preliminary conceptual designs for the buildings and landscaping are being prepared and preliminary visualisations have been developed and some are shown in this newsletter.

Why can’t the proposed locations of the buildings be further away from the Alain Bain Reserve boundary?

The site and project is constrained by a number of factors. The major influence on planning the site layout is the need for the terminal station to maintain electricity supply to large areas of Melbourne.

This means that areas cannot be cleared of existing equipment until the new buildings and equipment are in place. Construction will therefore be a complex exercise carried out in stages. SP AusNet has little flexibility as to the locations of the proposed new buildings.

What about the buildings already onsite?

The buildings that currently exist on site will remain. No work is planned for these buildings during this project.

Will the terminal station be quieter once upgrade works are complete?

Yes. The operational noise level of the station will be reduced following completion of the works due to the installation of new equipment.

What about any health implications?

Some people have concerns that Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) can damage their health.

SP AusNet’s facilities comply with the relevant national Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) standards.

Are there plans to use part of the land for a changed use? I am worried that other types of development will result, such as a residential apartment block.

Once completed, the footprint of the electrical equipment will be significantly reduced. There will be no change, however, to the site boundary or current use of the land.

What about consideration of renewable energy generation and energy efficiency on site?

The Richmond Terminal Station does not generate power. It is a facility that receives electricity at high voltages (transmitted at 220,000 volts from power stations in the Latrobe Valley) and converts it to lower voltages for distribution.

SP AusNet recognises there is community interest in the principles of environmentally sustainable design, and this will be a consideration during detailed design of the project.

SP AusNet is also investigating the potential to employ small scale solar collectors to supplement the site’s energy use.