BY JESSICA ROUSE
Lake Macquarie City Council is proposing a partnership with the Federal and State governments to pilot a Hunter City Deal as a part of Malcom Turnbull's Smart Cities Policy.
The proposal was backed unanimously by the elected council and is expected to generate nearly 10, 700 new jobs with an economic output of $4.2 billion per year.
General Manager Brian Bell says it will benefit the community in more ways than one, and is about more than just the Glendale Interchange.
"It's a deal delivering more than just the Lake Macquarie transport interchange which is a really big issue for us. It could deliver a number of community and recreational facilities and other road infrastructure projects which are very important in that particular region."
The area is already a large employer in the Hunter and the deal is expected to generate a further 10, 700 new jobs as well as 7, 650 new dwellings which will be a significant boost for the region.
The required investment from both public and private sectors to deliver the Hunter City Deal is $1.2 billion over a decade.
