Page 3737 - Week 10 - Thursday, 19 September 2019

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Health—adult mental health unit

Mr Rattenbury (in reply to a question by Miss C Burch on Wednesday, 21 August 2019):

There is no national capacity benchmark for adult mental health units.

Planning—Ginninderra Estate

Mr Gentleman (in reply to supplementary questions by Mrs Kikkert and Mr Parton on Thursday, 22 August 2019):

1. No, the tower closest to residential properties is approved to be constructed at a distance of 20.7 metres from the base of the tower to the nearest boundary fence of the easement.

The Ginninderra Estate is being developed by a private land developer, not the ACT Government.

The infrastructure in question is being constructed for the ACT Second Electricity Supply Project. This project was subject to extensive consultation through the environmental impact and development assessment processes of the Planning and Development Act 2007.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Development Applications were lodged in January 2018 and underwent public consultation in March and April 2018.

The ACT Government consulted with the lessees of impacted blocks at the time as required under the legislation.

The EIS and supporting studies have considered all potential health impacts in relation to the electric and magnetic fields from the powerlines. The investigations concluded that, due to the height of the lines and distance from dwellings, the electric and magnetic fields (EMF) would be well within the acceptable levels set by Commonwealth and international guidelines. The EIS also concluded that the operation of the project is not expected to change the existing EMF conditions on surrounding properties or pose a significant risk to the community.

2. The Ginninderra Estate is being developed by a private land developer, not the ACT Government.

The EIS considered the visual impact of the project on the future residents of the Ginninderra Estate. Mitigation measures for visual impacts were identified and vegetated screening was required where towers were in close proximity of the Ginninderra estate. It was highlighted in the assessment of the EIS that, due to the layout of the adjacent estate and utility requirements relating to vegetation within the electrical easement, limited planting options were available. On completion of the EIS, the proponent, TransGrid, committed to providing 4 m high vegetation screening in the electrical easement between towers and the estate.


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