BY DAKOTA TAIT
Plans for a new suburb north of Glendale are facing concerns that residents might be left playing catch up for infrastructure.
The rezoning is set to deliver between three and four thousand new homes, almost one thousand of which will be inside the Lake Macquarie area.
But Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery says local infrastructure issues need to be dealt with now for the development to work out.
"What we need to consider for the future too of course is how aspects of infrastructure are working so that the people who live and are going to live in that area in the future have future schools, have public transport, have easy access to hospitals and other facilities," Ms Hornery said.
The 592 hectare site, owned by Eden Estates, straddles both Newcastle and Lake Macquarie councils along the Newcastle Link Road.
Ms Hornery says while the development will help alleviate the Hunter's housing crisis, existing problems are likely to only get worse as long as schools and roads remain crowded.
"What we know of particularly around the Blue Gum Hills area is that students are crossing dangerous roads and that schools are over capacity," Ms Hornery said.
"What the department need to start doing is to start building schools ahead of capacity rather than behind it."
"Those factors all need to be considered and they need to be considered deeply with council as well, so that we can ensure that people aren't stuck in areas that they can't get out of or that we have increased traffic jams and problems in the area because traffic already is at capacity."
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| Image credit: Eden Estates |
