AECOM, in partnership with lead partner bd infrastructure and specialist consultants Biosis, Artefact Heritage, and IRIS Visual Planning + Design, has been appointed as the Environmental Planning and Assessment Advisor role for the Development Phase of the Australian Government’s Newcastle to Sydney High Speed Rail project.
The partners will serve as client-side advisors throughout the project’s two-year Development Phase, and will handle the preparation of environmental impact assessments, management of biodiversity and heritage approvals pathways, and the development of an environmental strategy to help ensure the project is ready for construction and an investment decision by the Australian Government.
Mark McManamny, chief executive of AECOM’s Australia and New Zealand region, said:We are proud to have been selected for a project of this significance.
High-speed rail has the potential to reshape how people connect, live and work along Australia’s east coast. Together with bd infrastructure and our specialist partners, we’ve assembled a team with the experience needed to help navigate the environmental and planning challenges that come with a project of this scale.
We’re looking forward to working with the High Speed Rail Authority to help lay the foundations for this nationally significant infrastructure project.
The Australian Government is currently developing plans for a future High Speed Rail network connecting Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and other regional communities across the east coast of Australia.
Once completed, Newcastle will be connected to Sydney via a new, dedicated railway line, with trains capable of travelling up to 320 kilometres per hour.
