By Lord Mayor Councillor Tania Brown
The West Dapto Urban Release area will provide about 19,500 dwellings and an additional population of 56,000 once fully developed over 50-plus years. It’s the longest running project Council has been involved with and we’re working closely with other levels of Government to provide infrastructure that will enable the growing communities in West Dapto to thrive.
Right now, a major upgrade to West Dapto Road, between Shone Avenue and Yard Street is underway and this is an important piece of work to help secure our region’s housing future. The project is co-funded through the NSW Government’s Housing Acceleration Fund.
However, this is not a one-road fixes all solution. And while we’re grateful to the NSW Government for their support, another absolutely critical part of this urban expansion and facilitating access to more housing opportunities is the planned Northcliffe Drive Extension and West Dapto Ring Road which will be the main north-south arterial road through the urban release area connecting the proposed new town centres in West Dapto. This is a regionally significant transport project that will provide flood reliable connection to the M1.
The proposed Northcliffe Drive Extension, which starts at the roundabout at the Kembla Grange Bunnings, includes a bridge which will cross over the Princes Highway and the railway level crossing at Kembla Grange.
The existing level crossing is deemed high risk and presents a safety concern to the population currently traversing this area. It also presents a risk to our ability to safely access the future housing supply in West Dapto if not addressed.
That’s why I have raised this issue on the floor of Council to highlight how critical this infrastructure is to delivering safe and flood free access to our major urban release area.
Securing investment in this project is a key priority for Council and for the future of our city and region.