Plans Approved to Transform Kurri Kurri Smelter Site into New Major Commercial and Industrial Precinct

 BY ISABEL EVERETT 

Plans to remediate a former hydro aluminum smelter site at Kurri Kurri in order to create a new commercial and industrial precinct have been approved by the NSW Government.

Along side the precinct, half of the 2 thousand hectare site will be set aside for environmental conservation, while 80 hectares will be used as a containment cell for contaminated materials.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the approval had the potential to create thousands of new jobs for the region.

“Its proximity to the Hunter Expressway makes it ideal for a new commercial and industrial precinct and we look forward to working with the landowner and councils to develop a masterplan for the site.

Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the NSW Government had also agreed to take on the ongoing management of the containment cell once all the remediation works have been completed and certified.

“This agreement is crucial to the site’s remediation and future redevelopment,” Mrs Pavey said.

“It ensures adequate arrangements are in place for the long-term management of the containment cell, safeguarding human and environmental health so we can unlock the potential of the site for business and the people of the Hunter region.”

Former Smelter Site 
Image Credit: Newcastle on Hunter

More Charges for Man Who Lead Police on a Wild Pursuit Through Lake Macquarie

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The man responsible for leading police on a wild pursuit across Lake Macquarie last month is expected to be charged with further offences in court today.

Just after 10am on December 31, police attempted to stop a car being driven by a 22-year-old man at Wallsend.

The driver refused to stop and sped off leading police on a number of purists on the Hunter Expressway, Newcastle Link Road and on the M1 before the driver crashed and attempted to carjack a vehicle on the M1.

It didn't stop there, the driver then allegedly carjacked a different car after failing the first time, and was involved in another pursuit with police and attempted to carjack more vehicles.

He was eventually arrested after allegedly ramming an unmarked police vehicle and appeared in court last month on a number of charges relating to those incidents.

The man will face Newcastle Local Court today where he is expected to be charged with two counts of assault with intent to take motor vehicle, three counts of police pursuit - not stop (Skye's Law) and possess property stolen outside NSW.

EARLIER:

BREAKING! Wanted Man Arrested after Terrifying Pursuit in the Hunter

Wanted Man Heads to Court After Dramatic Police Chase

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The man at the centre of the dramatic police chase across the Hunter heads to court today on a dozen charges.

Just after 10am yesterday police allege they attempted to pull the 22-year-old over in Wallsend but he refused to stop and a pursuit was initiated.

Police chased the man to the Hunter Expressway where they terminated the chase for a short time for safety reasons. Officers spotted him not long after driving on the Expressway on the wrong side of the road and gave chase for a second time.

The man managed to avoid to deployments of road spikes by police and then drove to Newcastle Link Road and then onto the M1 Pacific Motorway. It's here police allege he forced a vehicle off the road by colliding with it and then attempted and failed to "car jack" it.

He then successfully stole a white Audi Sedan allegedly armed with an edged weapon and took off.

Police in the area initiated another chase, but had to terminate not long after when the 22-year-old crossed to the wrong side of the Motorway.

Once he reached the Dora Creek Bridge, he tried and failed to "car jack" another three vehicles.

This is where police caught up with the man and tried to arrest him. The 22-year-old rammed into an unmarked police vehicle which caused minor injuries to two officers. But thankfully with the help of other officers the man was finally arrested at the scene.

He was taken to Toronto Police Station and slapped with a dozen charges: take detain person with intent to obtain advantage, armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, aggravated take drive vehicle whilst armed with offensive weapon, resist officer in execution of duty, intentionally choke person with recklessness, common assault, display unauthorised registration plates, and a warrant for revocation of parole.

The 22-year-old was originally wanted for Domestic Violence matters.

He was refused bail and faces Toronto Local Court today.

BREAKING! Wanted Man Arrested after Terrifying Pursuit in the Hunter

BY JESSICA ROUSE and LAUREN FREEMANTLE

UPDATE

Police have a wanted man in custody after a lengthy pursuit in the Hunter this morning.

Officers allegedly started to chase a 22-year-old man, who was driving a Mitsubishi Sedan on the Hunter Expressway near Heddon Greta after receiving word of his whereabouts just after 10am and pursued him west, before turning around and heading east on the wrong side of the road.

He stopped and a police car pulled up behind him and before taking off again he allegedly rammed the police car, a Ford Falcon Sedan, which caused the airbags to deploy leaving the two police officers inside with minor injuries. The police car was written off.

The chase continued on the M1 Pacific Motorway to Freemans Waterhole. It's also believed at this point there was a female passenger in the wanted man's car and she jumped out.

The 22-year-old kept going and then stopped again, carjacking another vehicle. The driver of the hijacked car, which is believed to be an Audi, jumped out and is uninjured.

Not long later, police managed to arrest him when he stopped for a third time near Sparks Road and he's been taken into custody.

Investigations are continuing.

EARLIER 11am:

A man is in custody after a police pursuit across the Hunter this morning.

A car was pursued by police first on Newcastle Link Road at Edgeworth, and then onto the Hunter Expressway near Singleton.

The vehicle has now been stopped by police, and investigations are continuing.

Paul from Cessnock was on the road at the time and told 2NURFM News all he could do was quickly move out of the way and hope for the best.

"I moved over quickly to keep right away from him and he just went flying past. It was just awful, very awful. One was very powerless."

EARLIER:

There have been reports of a car driving on the wrong side of the Hunter Expressway - heading towards Singleton in the southbound lane driving north.

Witnesses say they saw the car driving erratically near the Kurri Kurri exit before police attended the scene.

We'll have more details as they come to hand.

End of the road near for Loades

BY JOSH SIM

NRMA Chairman Kyle Loades will step down from the board as his 12-year tenure comes to a mandatory end.

Loades was elected to the NRMA board back in 2005 and the constitution states that no member can serve for longer than a maximum term of 12 years.

Having lived in Newcastle for the majority of his life, Loades has been instrumental in having a voice for Hunter residents and the infrastructure the city requires.

Loades rates the one-billion-dollar Hunter Expressway as one of his greatest success' in the role.

'Many of the projects that were on the drawing board or (ideas) 15 years ago have gradually come to fruition,' said Mr Loades.

'I've really enjoyed being able to represent the interests of a few hundred thousand NRMA members here in the Hunter.'

Loades' official end date will be in December with an election for a new Chairman and board member to be held in the coming months.

Kyle Loades will step down as NRMA Chairman in December. Image Source: HMRI

Buchanan Road upgrades make way for a safer road

BY JESSICA ROUSE

John Renshaw Drive at Buchanan  is now a whole lot safer for motorists with construction works finally completed.

The nearly $1.2 million dollar upgrade aimed to reduce the risk of crashes by installing roadside and median safety barriers to prevent vehicles crossing over to the wrong side of the road.

Improvements were also made to the road surface and wider median strips have been painted.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald says the works started in May and were completed on budget and on time.

Acting Chair of the Traffic Committee and Maitland Councillor Bob Geoghegan said "It is very good to see the improvements on this road which is getting busier, as it is one of the main roads between East Maitland and the Hunter Expressway".

Image ozroads.com.au

Local councillor wants to bring Google to Cessnock

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT and JESSICA ROUSE

Cessnock Councillor Jay Suvaal is hoping Googe's search for a new location will bring them to Cessnock.

Business giant Google announced they're shifting its Australian headquarters and with Amazon's imminent arrival to Australian shores there are calls to coax both heavyweights to the Hunter.

Jay Suvaal believes if one or both of the business giants move into Cessnock the unemployment rate would disappear and the economy would increase.

"In the past, we've had to diversify from the mining industry and we continue to do that so the opportunity for locals to gain employment is great and gives them the chance to look at other areas where they can focus their expertise."

Unemployment and the economy aren't the only draw cards, the councillor says not only is housing in a great position, there's plenty of land and plenty of access to the area.

"With the Hunter Expressway, we are relatively close to both Newcastle and Sydney. In terms of housing prices for workers, the prices are fantastic at the moment. The opportunities to build and to develop are there and for associated industries to come along as well because we've got land particularly in the Kurri area," said Jay Suvaal.

Cessnock councillor Jay Suvaal and Cessnock Chamber of Commerce
president Geoff Walker Image Cessnock Advertiser

Cessnock Council calling for funds to fix roads

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Cessnock City Council is calling on the NSW Government to make their roads a priority and address concerns over the condition of state roads in the area.

Cessnock councillors have voted unanimously to support a motion to seek support from state government officials.

Mayor Bob Pynsent says the council are seeking urgent meetings with the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey, in a bid to work towards a solution for Cessnock's ageing state road network.

Talks with other official parties haven't been as successful as the council had hoped.

'We've been talking to RMS (Roads and Maritime Services) for a number of months now, and we don't seem to be getting a final result; as in funding for our roads, and we're concerned about Main Road Heddon Greta, the entrances out of Frame Drive Bridge and Wine Country Drive at Nulkaba."

Among the roads and intersections the council say need attention include:
- Wine Country Drive, Nulkaba - intersection work
- Wine Country Drive, Nulkaba maintenance works and access to the Cessnock Correctional Centre
- Main Road, Heddon Greta - intersection issues and pedestrian issues
- Hart Road, Frame Drive, Orange Street, Cessnock Road connection to the HEX
- Wollombi Road

The Hunter Expressway is thought to be causing a lot of problems for the small town roads with a lot of extra traffic moving through the town to either get on the expressway or getting off to go elsewhere.

"The need for funding is purely on the saftey issues that have resulted from teh extra traffic on the road network around the hunter expressway," said Bob Pynsent.

Motorbike rider lucky to escape high speed crash

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man is lucky to escape a high speed crash on his motorbike at Kurri Kurri yesterday.

The man was clocked travelling at 160 kilometers an hour on the Hunter Expressway yesterday afternoon by Highway Patrol officers carrying out speed enforcement.

Officers tried to catch up to the bike in the 110 kilometre an hour speed zone, but were unable to do so.

A short time later they found him seriously injured crashing into a guardrail on Barton Street.

The 28-year-old was taken to John Hunter Hospital with multiple leg fractures.

He's yet to be interviewed by police.

Pedestrian Safety Improvement on the way for Kurri Kurri

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

Pedestrians crossing Lang Street at Kurri Kurri will soon have safer services, with the state government announcing a new pedestrian refuge will be installed.

Scot MacDonald

The refuge, between Mitchell Avenue and Merthyr Street, will cost a grand total of $200,000 and will give elderly people and those with prams better access to crossing the road.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald says the government decided to install the refuge “to give a little bit more safety”.

“Lang Street is a much busier road these days, according to the locals,” he said.

“Most of that is put down to the Hunter Expressway and all the changes that have followed from there.

“The pedestrians are really feeling the pressure a little bit.”

The government is also calling on residents to have their say on the refuge, with more information and contact information available on the Roads and Maritime Services website.

One major change that will come from the refuge will be the removal of on-street parking.

Up to four spaces will be removed, as the government looks to ensure people have adequate access to the crossing, as well as sufficient sight lines.

Scot MacDonald says it’s a small price to pay for pedestrian safety.

“Pedestrian safety, versus probably the removal of three or four parking spaces,” he said.

“I think we’ve got to come down on the side of making it safer for people getting across the road.

“A little bit of inconvenience is a reasonable price to pay.”

Hunter drivers not slowing down

BY TYLER FARDELL

A driver who was caught speeding at 209km/h along the Hunter Expressway early Monday morning has had his license suspended and plates confiscated.

This latest incident tops off what has been a turbulent long weekend for police officers with Operation Slowdown leading to 4,619 traffic infringement notices for speeding, an increase of 641 issues over last year.

Traffic and highway control commander acting assistant commissioner David Driver said drivers willingness to exceed safe limits was troubling given speeding remains one of the biggest killers on our roads.

"To have one such driver travel at 209km/h on a public road is appalling and beyond comprehension".

"Driving is a privilege not a right and if you're caught risking your life or the lives of others, you will be stopped".

Woman Badly Injured In Hunter Expressway Crash

By IAN CROUCH

A woman has suffered serious injuries in a single vehicle crash on the Hunter Expressway.

Police say the woman in her 50's last control of her white Toyota Corolla on the eastbound exit to the M1 Pacific Motorway at Cameron Park just before 2 this morning and crashed into a guard rail.

She was trapped for about an hour-and-a half before being freed and taken to the John Hunter Hospital where she remains in a serious but stable condition with injuries to her right leg and abdomen.


Police are still trying to piece together the circumstances leading up to the crash and are urging anyone who witnessed the accident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.