17 July 2009
Enquiries: Roy Bailey – 9364 0674
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McWhae
Dear
ATTADALE SOUTH UNDERGROUND POWER PROJECT
- Keith
The City of Melville would like to invite property owners in the Attadale South area to
take part in a survey to determine the level of community support for the installation
of underground power in your area.
The Attadale South project is comprised mainly of those properties south of
Wichmann Road in Attadale, and a small number of properties in Bicton and Alfred
Cove. A plan of the project area can be viewed in the attached brochure.
- 20200040
The City of Melville has been involved in several underground power projects
including Applecross, parts of Booragoon and Bicton and most recently Mount
Pleasant.
Melville
This is an important opportunity for you to register your opinion and to assist Council
in its decision making process. You are encouraged to complete the attached survey
of
form and return it to the independent market research company, by 21 August 2009.
The survey form is pre-addressed and postage paid.
- City
The Minister for Energy has advised the City that its proposed Attadale South project
area is one of only seven selected by the Underground Power Steering Committee to
take part in Round Four of the Underground Power Program. To enable the Attadale
South project to proceed, the City must first undertake a survey of property owners
within this project area to determine the level of community support. Government
funding for these projects is conditional upon majority support from project area
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ratepayers who respond to the survey.
Inclusion in the program means that 50 per cent
of the project costs are subsidised
FOI
by the State Government and Western Power, while property owners in the project
area are required to fund the remaining 50 per cent of project costs.
Provided the City achieves majority support from the community and is subsequently
approved by Council, it is anticipated that the project will commence in early 2010
and take approximately 18 months to complete.
The City of Melville supports the installation of underground power in all areas of the
City that are presently serviced with overhead power lines. With State government
funding subsidies being limited and a high level of competition from other local
governments, undergrounding can only proceed gradually.
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PROPERTY CHARGES
Based on current estimates, the property owner contribution for providing
underground power to a typical single residential property is likely to be an
average of $4,000. The average cost is calculated after applying a matching 50 percent
contribution from the State Government and Western Power. At this stage, these
costs are estimates only and are provided as an indication of likely charges.
In past projects owner contributions for Underground power schemes have been
based on the gross rental value (GRV) for each individual property.
Charges for units within multi-unit developments may be lower than a typical
residential property however, this will determined by the GRV of the property
McWhae
concerned.
Charges for commercial properties will be calculated individually based upon a range
of factors including the property’s electrical demand and GRV.
- Keith
The City of Melville will act as a facilitator for this project and will be responsible for
collecting the funding contributions from individual property owners.
To enable the City to meet Western Power’s progress payments throughout the
duration of the project, it will be necessary for the City to issue accounts with the
2010/2011 rates notice. Upon completion of the project when actual costs are
known, any cost savings will be refunded to owners on a pro-rata basis.
- 20200040
More information concerning the method for calculating property owner charges is
provided in the attached brochure.
POPULARITY OF UNDERGROUND POWER
Melville
Underground power is proving extremely popular throughout the metropolitan area
of
and there is keen competition among local governments to secure projects and
obtain the benefits of funding subsidies. Many Attadale South residents have
contacted the City in recent times expressing their desire for underground power to
- City
be progressed in this area.
We encourage you to support this project at this time as it may be many years before
the area is reconsidered. Also, there is no guarantee of future ongoing State
Government funding for underground power projects.
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Consequently, your support is requested as this could be a one off opportunity to
progress underground power in this area. Please complete the enclosed survey and
return it in the enclosed reply paid envelope by the due date of 21 August 2009 to
FOI
register your vote.
I look forward to your response.
RUSSELL AUBREY
MAYOR