This project will help ensure growth in Thurgoona-Wirlinga is supported by appropriate infrastructure.
The environmental approval by Commonwealth Government is key to progressing the project, which aims to construct a road network linking the Hume Freeway’s Davey Road interchange to Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Kerr Road, Table Top Road, and Ettamogah Road in Thurgoona.
The environmental approval process has been unavoidably delayed due to the complexity of the environmental surveys and assessments.
These environmental approvals are required under Commonwealth legislation to ensure any impacts that occur because of development are carefully considered and avoided, reduced or mitigated where possible.
These project delays have led to the notification by NSW Government of their intention to close the project funding stream, thereby closing off the $1.2 million allocated to this project from the Restart NSW fund and encouraging Council to apply for funding through other NSW infrastructure programs.
However, Albury Mayor, Kevin Mack, said that while advocacy for retention of the project funding continues, the Commonwealth approval to publish the preliminary documentation was an important milestone for the project and a clear indication to the NSW Government that Council is committed to this key enabling project.
“While we’re disappointed that the NSW Government has chosen to decline our request for a deadline extension for the environmental surveys, we’re buoyed by this latest development,” he said.
“It gives us a great deal of confidence that the years of work that it’s taken to get to this point have been worthwhile and provides a degree of certainty to the community that this important project is still progressing.”
The Thurgoona Link Road project is part of the wider Thurgoona-Wirlinga Precinct Structure Plan that was prepared in 2013 and is currently under review. It is a key element in the development of the Thurgoona-Wirlinga growth corridor.
The proposed road network has been identified as the major linkage between Thurgoona-Wirlinga and Greater Albury, transferring traffic north to join the Hume Freeway and providing an east-west connection.
Council will advertise the publication of the documents this weekend and they will be available on the Council website, as well as on display in hard copy at the Council office, Albury Library/Museum and Lavington Library.
Albury residents and interested parties are encouraged to review the documentation and provide comments via Council’s ‘Have Your Say’ platform.
The documents will be available for 10 business days from 25 November, with a deadline for submissions of 9 December 2024 at 5.00 pm.