Transmission Company Victoria (TCV), Media Release, 4 September 2024

Transmission Company Victoria (TCV) now has land access agreements in place for more than 100 properties in the VNI West draft corridor to allow important survey work to continue.

The announcement of the preferred easement that will host the VNI West transmission line is expected in coming weeks.

Since August last year, TCV’s dedicated landholder liaisons have worked closely with individual landholders on their access agreements, which has allowed completion of more than 50 field surveys including ecological, historical heritage and noise monitoring assessments.

Depending on the area of land covered by the two-year Land Access Agreement, landholders will receive payments of up to $50,000.

VNI West Program Director Tony Hedley emphasised the importance of the agreements, saying that the surveys were essential to helping the project team and independent authorities understand existing land uses and reduce possible impacts on farms and farming.

“Our main objective is to find the most suitable location for the preferred easement that minimises impacts to farms and farm operations, balanced with consideration of the environment and other site constraints,” Mr Hedley said.

“We recognise that the best way to truly understand the land is through on-site investigation, and landholder support in this effort has been invaluable.

“Access for field surveys is voluntary, and in every case, access terms are discussed and agreed.

“This ensures survey teams obey farm rules, such as biosecurity protocols, including thorough washdown of boots, equipment and vehicles with disinfectant cleaner on entry and exit from every property.

“TCV has taken on board specific requests from landholders, such as conducting ecology surveys on foot rather than in vehicles during wet weather, to minimise impacts to the land and access tracks.

“Information gathered from landholder feedback and farm surveys has helped shape the preferred easement for transmission, in some cases providing critical data on intensive irrigation infrastructure, or plans for new houses or sheds,” he said.

On signing an access agreement, the landholder is entitled to an access payment in recognition of the potential inconvenience and time spent in negotiating the agreement and providing access.

“We greatly appreciate the generosity of landholders in providing detailed information about their properties and we look forward to working together to find the optimal location for this essential transmission line,” said Mr Hedley.

Landholders willing to provide survey access to their properties, ahead of the preferred easement release, are encouraged to contact their dedicated Landholder Liaisons – following the preferred easement release, the areas required for survey access will be reduced.

In September, the draft ~2km corridor for VNI West will be narrowed to a preferred easement between 70-120m along most of the route, pending ongoing assessments as part of the Environment Effects Statement (EES) process.

Landholder Liaisons will be in contact with landholders with property in the preferred easement ahead of the public announcement.

Please visit transmissionvictoria.com.au for further information.