Project: Canberra Light Rail Stage 2B - Socioeconomic Impact Assessment

Assessing project impacts on people and communities for the latest stage of light rail’s development.

Client: ACT Government: Infrastructure Canberra

Project Dates: May - November 2024

Services Delivered:

  • Targeted stakeholder engagement

  • Social and economic baseline development

  • Impact assessment

  • Consideration of mitigation and management measures

Canberra Light Rail

Project Background:

Light rail is a key part of developing Canberra’s integrated public transport network across the city, supporting future growth and sustainability, and maintaining a world-class standard of living. The next stage of the Project will see the existing light rail network connected to Woden, extending the north-south public transport link from Gungahlin to Woden, via the City. 

Light Rail to Woden is being built in two stages. Construction for the first stage, to connect the City to Commonwealth Park (Stage 2A), commenced in 2022 with the raising of London Circuit. Concurrently, environmental planning and approvals are underway to continue the line all the way to Woden (Stage 2B).  Once operational, Light Rail to Woden will provide people with more transport options, help reduce traffic congestion and support Canberra's transition to a zero emissions future.

The Challenge:

The extension of the Light Rail Project from Commonwealth Park to Woden is one of the most complex components of the network.  Careful and considerate planning will help preserve the National Triangle’s cultural and heritage significance, maintain the well-known vistas that Canberra is known for, and ensure Canberran’s have access to reliable and convenient transport options for decades to come.

As part of the Project’s approval process, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required to provide the community and other stakeholders with complete and consolidated details of the Project. This includes the development of a socioeconomic impact assessment (SEIA). 

There was added complexity with the requirements for this SEIA as two alignment options were being assessed, both of which passed through a high-profile area of Commonwealth land with potential impacts to buildings, places, and areas of importance on the National Heritage List. The SEIA needed to consider both alignment options, as well as adopting a precinct-based approach to respond to the linear nature of the project, with impacts assessed both Project-wide and as relevant to the seven precincts along the Project alignment, and separate stabling yard area.

Our Approach:

SEIA is the process of understanding and managing the social and economic impact of projects and programs on people and communities. Projects can impact people in many ways, positively and negatively, with impacts that are both actual and perceived, temporary, or permanent. Social Atlas developed the SEIA for Light Rail Stage 2B which provides an assessment of the socioeconomic impacts of constructing and operating the Project, both with and without the application of mitigation and management measures. 

A best practice approach was adopted that considered the International Association for Impact Assessment’s Social Impact Assessment: Guidance for assessing and managing the social impacts of projects (2015) as well as other industry leading frameworks, including the NSW Social Impact Assessment Guideline (NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure, 2023). In addition, by overlaying the ACT’s wellbeing framework, we were able to make the assessment region specific.

The team began by establishing a comprehensive understanding of the existing social environment and baseline within the Project area, laying the groundwork for the SEIA. In consultation with Infrastructure Canberra, we defined the social locality boundary and utilised primary and secondary data sources to gather information on demographic profiles, socioeconomic indicators, and community values. We then identified gaps in the existing data provisions and developed a plan for additional research to fill those gaps, ensuring the completeness and accuracy of the social baseline.

For the development of the economic baseline, we worked to gain an understanding of businesses located throughout the alignment corridor quantifying the economic value of these businesses based on an estimation of current employment and economic output. The analysis of existing economic capacity and activity helped to establish the baseline necessary to then review potential impacts throughout the construction period and on completion.

To support the EIS for the Project, a significant program of engagement was undertaken by Infrastructure Canberra, targeting individuals, organisations and groups along the Project alignment who would be potentially impacted by the Project’s construction and operation, as well as stakeholders with a high level of interest or influence over the Project outcomes. Social Atlas completed an extensive review of the engagement outcomes from these activities, as well as conducting a targeted business door knock program and survey to further support the SEIA.

The social and economic impact assessments were undertaken using distinct but complementary assessment methods. This approach allowed the economic impact assessment to focus on workforce and business information while the social impact assessment explored a broader range of demographic factors. By examining these indicators from different perspectives, the combined assessments then provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the likely impacts on the community.

Once the baseline was complete, we then moved to the analysis stage to provide a thorough and evidence-based understanding of the social implications of the proposed Project. We distinguished between impacts experienced broadly at a corridor-wide level, and those experienced more locally within individual precincts, and proposed arrangements and strategies to manage and mitigate identified negative social impacts while enhancing positive impacts. Mitigation measures were also tailored as relevant to regional and precinct issues.

Project Outcomes:

Evidencing social impacts, mitigations and offsets is a critical part of the EIS process with stakeholders, and the SEIA helps to answer questions that communities ask about the Project. It also demonstrates how the Project will manage impacts and is a critical step in cultivating social licence. We worked closely with Infrastructure Canberra to ensure the timely delivery of this SEIA in line with the overall EIS submission deadlines. You can read the full report which is now on Public Exhibition for review and feedback at: Stage 2B EIS | Canberra Light Rail Stage 2B | ACT Government

Traffic crossing Commonwealth Avenue Bridge in Canberra
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