How to ruin an improving landscape: East-West Tunnel

Yesterday Premier Denis Napthine released further detail on the East-West Tunnel project which will extend the Eastern Freeway to an interchange with Citylink in Parkville/Travancore. My total disdain for prioritising this road lobby/union-pleasing project over the Melbourne Metro tunnel is well documented, however now I want to focus on the impacts this project will have around the redevelopment zones as outlined by the City of Melbourne and State Government itself.

Now we have more detailed renders of the corridor and the superstructure that is proposed at both ends of the tunnel, one needs to feel for the residents of the Elderly Chinese Home which, if not supported by the State Government to move their facilities to another site, will be isolated smack bang in the middle of the triangle interchange at the Western end of the tunnel. Furthermore you have to feel for the people who have bought off the plan in the EVO Parkville development currently under construction - they're now going to have an off-ramp right up against their property boundary.

I found it odd following all the mainstream media journalists on twitter yesterday as they reported 100 or so properties will be affected and compensated and yet there was no mention of this new development (see 1m 55s in below video) with 175 apartments, the majority of which will face the proposed offramp. Following the course of the day it became apparent the Linking Melbourne Authority is only going to compensate people directly affected - i.e. you're only compensated if your property will be compulsorily acquired.

I'm sure solicitors are going to have some fun with the definition of "impacted" for anyone who's recently built or bought into any area near either end of this tunnel.

Enormous outbound flyover with faux bridge from Hoddle Street. Present.

Manningham Street playing fields. Destroyed.

Oak Street / Commonwealth Games wetlands. Obliterated.

Isolation of some of the most vulnerable residents in the area. Confirmed.

Setting Parkville back 2-3 decades. You bet.

What a SUPERB urban design outcome! (That sentence is dripping with sarcasm).