Residents of the region’s most expensive street are being asked to pay almost $12,000 each to assist with costs associated with undergrounding power lines.

The lion’s share of the costs of undergrounding power lines at Robe are to be met by a State Government agency.

The Esplanade at Long Beach at Robe has a number of million-dollar homes with the owners including prominent business identities and leading farming families.

There were multiple seven-figure house sales along The Esplanade during the 2021 calendar year.

The Robe District Council has secured funding to meet two-thirds of the estimated $475,000 cost of removing the stobie poles and overhead lines.

Funding for stage one had been secured from the Power Line Environment Committee.

Council has received formal approval from the Technical Regulator for construction in the first half of the 2022/23 financial year.

It would need to increase its rates to all ratepayers by approximately 4% to cover the $153,000 shortfall.

In a discussion paper, the council said it does not consider that this would be fair to all ratepayers and a separate rate is the only way council can raise the funds for this project.

Council chief executive James Holyman has written to the 11 ratepayers directly impacted by stage one of the undergrounding project and sought their formal written commitment.

Three ratepayers have committed to donate $40,000 to stage one which leaves an amount of $113,401 to be funded via a separate rate.

The share for each of the ratepayers would be $11,630 and an annual separate rate over five years would be $2325.50.

Comment has been invited on the separate rate proposal and a public meeting to discuss it will be held on June 15.