Wollongong City Council will spend almost $30 million on the growing West Dapto area over the next three years, according to its draft infrastructure delivery program.
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In the first year of the program, which went on public exhibition earlier this week, $9.7 million will be spent on infrastructure in the area.
In the following years, those new suburbs will see $9.2 million and $9.5 million - a three-year total of $28 million.
In the 2023-24 year, the money flowing to West Dapto will be higher that the amounts going to the city's libraries, community facilities, stormwater services and waste management.
The money allocated to infrastructure in the area is over and above that collected as developer contributions - which are either in the form of money or projects in kind.
"West Dapto is one of the biggest infrastructure projects council has ever undertaken," a council spokeswoman said.
"The amount of contributions council can collect from developers is not sufficient to provide for all necessary infrastructure such as roads, footpaths, cycling facilities, sports fields, community facilities and more."
A chunk of the money will come from rates paid by residents in these new suburbs.
"As development progresses, revenue from the area will be used to fund the maintenance and operation of new assets and services as part of council's overall budget," draft budget documents stated.
In the 2022-23 year, council is banking on $2.8 million in West Dapto rates, climbing to $4.3 million in 2025-26.
Those funds will be restricted for use on projects in West Dapto only.
"Experience in developing councils has shown the negative long-term impacts that the delayed expense pattern has if additional rate revenue is built into other recurrent operations," council papers stated.
"Under the financial strategy, this income will be restricted and only allocated to operational expenditure as the area develops."
Infrastructure projects already on the list include a roundabout at the Bong Bong Road-Shone Avenue intersection, sporting facilities, bus shelters as well as the purchasing of parcels of land to build them.
The big-ticket item on the list is the extension of Northcliffe Drive west to Sheaffes Road, providing another entry and exit point into the area.
Council plans to start the design work on stage one in the coming financial year.
"The Northcliffe Drive extension is identified in both council's West Dapto Development Contributions Plan 2020 and the state government's Illawarra Shoalhaven Special Infrastructure Contribution Determination 2021," the spokeswoman said.
"Council has recently partnered with Transport for NSW on a strategic business case to support the funding and delivery of the Northcliffe Drive Extension. We are also in the process of creating a shovel ready design which would support future grant funding opportunities."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
