Ten years ago, when Wollongong City Council adopted its vision to turn West Dapto into one of the state’s largest housing release areas, the Fowlers Road bridge was a pipe dream.
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But a lot has changed since 2008, and next week the city will award perhaps its biggest-ever construction contract to build the final stage of the major road.
In a report to Monday night’s council meeting, staff have recommended that Abergeldie Contractors Pty Ltd be given the $39.9 million tender to build the road linking the Princes Highway in Dapto into Horsley.
Talked of for the past three decades, the 1.3 kilometre bridge will become a major route for more than 5000 future homes in West Dapto.
To recognise this progress, and a shift in other planning decisions, the council will also consider a new overall vision for the area next week, to guide development in the coming decades.
The inclusion of Fowlers Road is perhaps the largest addition, but residents will also have the chance to have their say on broader changes to the road network.
For instance, a new orbital road connecting the north and south parts of the development area is now planned.
Instead of running along West Dapto Road, this ring road will allow traffic to flow from Northcliffe Drive at Kembla Grange onto Shone Avenue.
It will then continue through Wongawilli and into the new Bong Bong town centre, linking with Avondale and exiting along Marshall Mount Road, near Yallah.
This, according to council staff, will be more elevated for better flood protection, and will be cheaper to build as it is not part of the existing road network.
The 2008 document also shows an old version of a vision for the Yallah-Marshall Mount precinct – which was recently rezoned – and a number of smaller neighbourhood and village centres that have been removed or relocated due to changes in planning policies.
Now, 13 towns and villages plans will be condensed into eight, with Darkes Road, Bong Bong, and Marshall Mount remaining as town centres and Wongawilli, Jersey Farm, Fowlers, Huntley and Avondale being developed into villages.
Importantly for many residents, the proposed Kembla Grange Correctional Centre does not feature except for a brief mention, in which the council notes it “understands the investigation is at an early stage and no decision has been made”.
The proposed Correctional Centre is not permitted under the existing land zonings, although the state could make the use permissible through a State Environmental Planning Policy,” staff said in a note to councillors.
“If the proposal progresses, it is likely that the state will be the consent authority, and council will be able to make a submission.”