Maitland Councillor Calls For Thornton Bypass

 BY IAN CROUCH

 A Maitland councillor is calling for planning to begin on a bypass at Thornton.

Mitchell Griffin says traffic has been steadily building over the past 8 years as housing developments have sprung up in Thornton North and Chishom and now drivers face a 45  minute traffic snarl to get out out of Thornton during peak periods.

Councillor Griffin believes there are 3 possible options for a bypass which would funnel traffic around Thornton instead of through it and says traffic congestion will only get worse with thousands more dwellings on the way.

Maitland Councillor Mitchell Griffin

Dashcam Footage Sought Over Crash At Hamilton

 BY IAN CROUCH

 Police are appealing for dashcam footage as they investigate a crash at Hamilton at the weekend which left 5 people in hospital.

An Audi A4 and a small Hyundai pantec truck collided at the intersection of Gordon Avenue and Everton Street at about 7.30pm on Saturday, with the truck coming to rest on its side on top of the car.

A 26-year-old man who was driving the Audi has undergone treatment and mandatory testing at the John Hunter Hospital, while his 31-year-old male passenger was taken to hospital with a broken arm.

The 46-year-old male truck driver was trapped for a short time before being freed by Police Rescue.

A 41-year-old woman and a 4-year-old boy managed to free themselves from the truck and were taken to hospital with minor injuries. 

The crash scene on Saturday night Picture: Newcastle City Police

Man Drowns In Boating Accident On Lake Macquarie

 BY IAN CROUCH

 A report is being prepared for the Coroner after a man died in a boating mishap on Lake Macquarie.

Emergency services were called to Wangi Point at about 4.00pm on Sunday to reports a man in his 50's had been knocked overboard by the boom of his yacht and couldn't be found.

Police, Marine Rescue and the Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter mounted a search for the man, with the chopper crew locating his body a short time later.

He was pulled from the water but could not be revived despite the efforts of paramedics. 

Medowie School: Washington Asks Why it Hasn't Been Built Yet

 BY SAMUEL BARTETT

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington has called on the State government to remember its promise to build a new high school in Medowie.

The Department of Education has owned land in Medowie set aside for a public school since 1983 but the Ferodale Road site has been left untouched.

She called on the Minister for Education to rule out selling off the land or using it for anything other than its original purpose.

She asked the minister in parliament on Thursday, "tell us what you plan to do with the department of education land that still sits vacant."

"Its a plan designed to give themselves an excuse to never deliver a public high school in Medowie," she explained.

The calls come as the Port Stephens population increases and travel time to high schools further afield grow longer.

Kate Washington said, "We were told by the department that when student numbers reached attending point, the plan would kick in. Nothing has happened, despite Medowie's population growing exponentially." 

She finished and asked the Government, "if their plan means they will never build a public high school in Medowie, be honest and tell us."

Calls for the public high school have not abated despite the construction of Catherine McAuley Catholic school in Medowie. Locals are still pushing for a Government-funded school as promised long ago.

$44 Million Hotel and Office Development Approved for Honeysuckle Precinct

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The NSW Government has approved a $44 million hotel and office development along the Newcastle waterfront in the Honeysuckle Precinct.

The site at 42 Honeysuckle Drive is set to be transformed into a nine storey mixed-use development including an office tower and a 187-room boutique hotel with a café, bar, gym, and car parking.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes says the development will meet the demands of the rising popularity of domestic travel.

“The Honeysuckle Precinct has undergone a major facelift in recent years as more than 50 hectares of former industrial and maritime land has been transformed into a centre for entertainment, tourism, employment and recreation,” Mr Stokes said.

The project is also set to create 1,000 new jobs in construction and support 60 ongoing jobs after completion.

Construction will begin later this year and is expected to be completed by 2023.

Garden Suburb Community Group Plan to Take Myall Road Development to Environment Court

 BY SAMUEL BARTLETT

Garden Suburb community members are fighting a development approved by the Hunter Regional Planning Panel to clear 12 hectares of land to make room for 66 new residential lots.

The Myall Road development application was first lodged in 2013 and was granted conditional approval in December last year, but locals say the community hasn't been properly contacted and want to take the matter the the Land and Environment Court.

Lake Macquarie resident, Steve Warham said locals attended a meeting on 8th February to discuss challenging the approval.

He said, "the group is forming as an incorporated association so it can lodge in the land and environment court."

Mr Warham believes there are better options and explained, "most residents were concerned about the destruction of the bush. There's plenty of other land already cleared and available for size of development."

However, Lake Macquarie Council is standing by their decision to support the clearing and says 28 hectares will still be spared.

Council said in a statement they are, "satisfied the development won't have significant impact on threatened species," and intends setting the extra land aside, "as a biodiversity offset for the development"

According to council, the land will be managed in perpetuity by the NSW Government's Biodiversity Conservation Trust.

As the development is a Crown development exceeding $5 million, the council is not the determining authority, only the Hunter Regional Planning Panel has the power to approve the project.

Elderly Man With Broken Hip Forced to Wait Six Hours for Ambulance

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Concerns about ambulance shortages have been raised after an elderly nursing home patient had to wait six hours for paramedics to arrive after suffering a broken hip.

Despite an announcement by the Health Minister in 2019 that 750 new paramedics and call centre staff would join the force over the next four years, critics say new recruits are not keeping up with the numbers leaving the industry.

Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery said there were only nine cars operating across the Lower Hunter on Friday night, despite the large population and size of the region.

"Paramedics are telling me that they are being stretched to breaking point, with many staff working multiple overtime shifts per week or being sent to cover staff shortages in other regions," Ms Hornery said.

"I think the community would be horrified to know that only nine ambulances are operating on a Friday night to cover such a large area and population."

The Australian Paramedics Association had also made calls late last year for NSW Ambulance to deliver more resources to the Hunter, with local crews forced to make up for shortages in areas such as Raymond Terrace and Kurri Kurri.

A NSW Ambulance spokesperson said the response to the nursing home patient had been appropriate given the high number of emergency calls in the region.