Hunter regional plan - Local government narratives

Lower Hunter is composed of Cessnock, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Newcastle and Port Stephens local government areas.

 

Cessnock

Cessnock
Population
2016	56,100
2036 (Projected)	69,250
Projected Increase	+13,150
Dwellings
2016	24,000
2036 (Projected)	+6,350
Projected Increase	+6,350
Employment
2016	18,905
2036 (Projected)	25,497
Projected Increase	+6,592

Cessnock Local Government Area is the focal point for the region’s wine industry and a significant tourism destination and entertainment node. Opportunities exist to increase its appeal as a major wine and food tourist destination with a national and international reputation. The recent completion of the Hunter Expressway has improved connectivity to the Greater Newcastle and Upper Hunter area, increasing its attraction for housing and employment. Investigation of infill opportunities and new housing is required in the longer term.

 

Regional Priorities

• Support the visitor and agricultural economies by conducting a land use assessment across the Viticulture Critical Industry Cluster.
• Investigate the region-shaping potential of the Hunter Expressway.
• Continue delivery of the Branxton Subregional Plan.
• Protect regionally significant transport corridors, including the Newcastle Freight Rail Bypass.
• Plan for, and deliver regional cycleway links along the Richmond Vale Rail Trail.

 

Centres and Employment

Regionally significant centres and employment land clusters:

• Strategic centres: Cessnock, Kurri Kurri
• Centres of local significance: Branxton and Huntlee
• Critical Industry Clusters: Pokolbin viticulture area.

 

Priorities for strategic centres:

Cessnock

• Retain an administrative, retail and service function for the Local Government Area.
• Investigate opportunities to leverage the heritage character of the centre, and growth in wine tourism in Pokolbin.
• Provide additional housing in the adjoining town.
• Implement the Cessnock CBD master plan.

 

Kurri Kurri

• Retain a retail and service function for surrounding communities.
• Leverage its proximity to the Hunter Expressway and existing significant industrial land.
• Investigate opportunities for urban renewal of the town centre and new housing opportunities.
• Develop and implement a master plan for Kurri Kurri CBD.

 

Housing

Future housing and urban renewal opportunities:

• Deliver existing Urban Release Areas at Bellbird North, Nulkaba, Huntlee, Greta (Anvil Creek), West Street Greta, Golden Bear, Vintage Balance, Mount View Road, Rose Hill, Cliftleigh and Avery’s Village.
• Develop the Kurri Kurri Corridor.

 

Port Stephens

Port Stephens
Population
2016	74,100
2036 (Projected)	92,650
Projected Increase	+18,550
Dwellings
2016	36,900
2036 (Projected)	47,950
Projected Increase	+11,050
Employment
2016	28,809
2036 (Projected)	34,475
Projected Increase	+5,665

Port Stephens Local Government Area contains a mix of rural land, towns, villages and coastal areas (largely focused along the Tomaree Peninsula) that are a major recreational, tourist and retirement destination. The regionally significant Newcastle Airport provides capacity to support growth in defence and aerospace-related industries.

 

Regional priorities

• Protect the functioning of the Newcastle Airport and support its growth.
• Leverage proximity to major global gateways – and its attractive and valuable natural environment and coastal and rural communities – to generate economic growth and diversity.

 

Centres and employment

Regionally significant centres and employment land clusters:

• Global Gateways: Newcastle Airport
• Strategic centres: Raymond Terrace and Nelson Bay
• Centres of local significance: Salamander Bay, Anna Bay, Medowie, Karuah, Tanilba Bay, Lemon Tree Passage, Fern Bay, Hinton, Woodville and Seaham.
• Significant employment land clusters: Tomago and Heatherbrae.

 

Priorities for strategic centres:

Raymond Terrace

• Support its role as the main service centre in the Local Government Area, and in providing a range of facilities for surrounding communities, including retailing, government, civic and professional services.
• Investigate increasing social, transport and economic connections to surrounding communities and centres across the Greater Newcastle area.

 

Nelson Bay

• Maintain it as one of the primary tourist centres for the region and a hub for the Tomaree Peninsula.
• Maintain retail and professional services for the surrounding communities.
• Investigate opportunities for high-density development that maintains and enhances the tourist, recreational and residential appeal of the centre.
• Balance the mix of permanent residential and tourist accommodation to enhance the vibrancy and appeal of the centre and surrounds.

 

Newcastle Airport

• Support the ongoing operations of the Royal Australian Air Force Base at Williamtown.
• Investigate opportunities to cluster defence and aerospace-related research, manufacturing and businesses around the airport.
• Expand passenger services (including international flights) by increasing connections domestically and with the Asia-Pacific.
• Manage growth and respond to the natural and cultural values in the area and to mitigate the impacts of drainage and flooding.
• Increase access to the airport from the M1 Pacific Motorway and Newcastle to increase its competitiveness as a passenger and business destination for the Hunter and surrounds

 

Housing

Future housing and urban renewal opportunities:

• Deliver existing Urban Release Areas at Fern Bay, Medowie and Kings Hill (future).
• Investigate and deliver infill potential within the strategic centres of Raymond Terrace and Nelson Bay.

 

Lake Macquarie

Lake Macquarie
Population
2016	202,350
2036 (Projected)	226,800
Projected Increase	+24,450
Dwellings
2016	87,700
2036 (Projected)	101,400
Projected Increase	+13,700
Employment
2016	66,860
2036 (Projected)	78,60
Projected Increase	+11,741

Lake Macquarie Local Government Area includes the southern portion of the Greater Newcastle metropolitan area. It is the largest city in the Lower Hunter by population. The area’s picturesque landscape and convenient connections to other parts of the Hunter, Central Coast and Sydney attract residents and visitors to the area. There is a mix of centres, including Charlestown, Glendale and Morisset, and also housing opportunities, many in scenic locations. Lake Macquarie will continue to attract new residents because of these attributes.

 

Regional priorities

• Revitalise existing suburbs and explore opportunities for new infill and greenfield release areas.
• Develop Charlestown, Cardiff–Glendale and Morisset into well-connected strategic centres.

 

Centres and employment

Regionally significant centres and employment land clusters:

• Strategic centres: Charlestown, Morisset, Cardiff–Glendale (emerging)
• Significant employment land cluster: Cardiff Industrial Estate
• Centres of local significance: Belmont, Toronto, Cardiff, Warners Bay, Swansea and Mount Hutton.

 

Priorities for strategic centres:

Charlestown

• Support the development of Charlestown with further higher–density residential development and employment diversity to enable it to better function as a city centre with a range of commercial and government services, and housing.
• Retain and increase regionally significant retail and higher-order community facilities.
• Improve public transport connections to other strategic centres.
• Implement the Charlestown Town Centre Area Plan.
• Continue investigations into the economic diversification of the centre, increasing residential densities through redevelopment and public transport access, and improving public amenity and access to open space.

 

Morisset

• Grow the centre to accommodate a range of land uses, including business, residential and open spaces, close to the railway station.
• Provide services for the areas identified for urban growth, supported by established infrastructure and services.
• Implement Morisset Town Centre Area Plan.
• Investigate options to improve traffic flow through the centre.

 

Cardiff–Glendale

• Plan for development as an emerging strategic centre that will provide services to the growing Newcastle – Lake Macquarie, Western Corridor, deliver renewal in Cardiff and redevelop the former industrial lands at Boolaroo.
• Implement the Glendale Regional Centre Area Plan.
• Provide support for the Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange and associated roadworks.
• Develop Glendale as a strategic gateway to Greater Newcastle.
• Leverage the existing good access to employment and services in the metropolitan area and commuter connections to the Upper Hunter Valley and Central Coast.

 

Housing

Future housing and urban renewal opportunities:

• Deliver existing Urban Release Areas at Cooranbong, Wyee, Morisset, Cameron Park, Edgeworth, Catherine Hill Bay and West Wallsend.
• Support the development of Warners Bay, Toronto and Belmont into higher density, compact mixed-use centres.
• Implement Town Centre Area Plans for Warners Bay and Belmont.
• Investigate the potential of a Glendale–Cardiff Renewal Corridor, including opportunities for linkages/extension to Boolaroo and Speers Point.
• Investigate the extension to the Pacific Highway Corridor (Gateshead to Belmont).
• Continue to plan for the Glendale–Edgeworth Corridor for longer-term growth.
• Deliver and maximise the potential of urban infill opportunities at the Pasminco redevelopment area in Boolaroo.

 

Maitland

Maitland
Population
2016	78,200
2036 (Projected)	104,850
Projected Increase	+26,650
Dwellings
2016	31,650
2036 (Projected)	44,200
Projected Increase	+12,550
Employment
2016	28,311
2036 (Projected)	34,790
Projected Increase	+6,476

Maitland Local Government Area contains a high-growth metropolitan area that includes strategic centres servicing the hinterland and rural areas of Dungog and the Upper Hunter area. It includes a number of urban release areas that are contributing to significant greenfield housing supply for the region, as well as centres undergoing revitalisation, and historic rural villages. Maitland will continue to supply housing, connect its settlements and offer civic, health and educational services.

 

Regional priorities

• Deliver housing in the Maitland Corridor.
• Investigate the region-shaping potential of the Hunter Expressway.
• Grow Central Maitland as an emerging regional city centre.

 

Centres and employment

• Regionally significant centres and employment land clusters:
• Strategic centres: Central Maitland and East Maitland
• Significant employment land clusters: Thornton and Rutherford
• Centres of local significance: Lochinvar (emerging), Thornton and Rutherford.

 

Priorities for strategic centres:

Central Maitland

• Develop Maitland as a strategic centre that services the western sector of Greater Newcastle, one of the fastest growing areas in the State.
• Leverage recent renewal activities to increase its ability to attract additional retail and commercial activity.
• Implement the Central Maitland Structure Plan.
• Explore opportunities to improve the public domain and access to the Hunter River.
• Support increases in residential development that addresses flood risk.
• Support flood mitigation infrastructure and initiatives to increase the resilience of existing properties against flood risk.

 

East Maitland

• Investigate opportunities to develop a health cluster that leverages the NSW Government commitment to build a new Maitland Hospital.
• Diversify the economy and employment opportunities in the area.
• Investigate the potential of East Maitland and adjacent Green Hills and Metford areas to increase economic and population growth.

 

Housing

Strong population growth in the Maitland Local Government Area is resulting in ongoing pressures for additional residential land and a shortfall in infrastructure provision. There are significant challenges to servicing a number of development fronts and increasing dwelling density near centres, transport nodes and in areas of high amenity. The growth in housing needs to be balanced against the natural constraints of flooding and the agricultural value of the floodplain and other rural lands.

Future housing and urban renewal opportunities:

• Deliver the existing Urban Release Areas of Anambah, Aberglasslyn, Gillieston Heights, Bolwarra/Largs, Lochinvar, Thornton North, Louth Park and Farley.
• Investigate growth and renewal corridors along main roads in existing urban areas, such as the New England Highway.

 

Newcastle

Newcastle
Population
2016	165,050
2036 (Projected)	198,350
Projected Increase	+33,300
Dwellings
2016	75,450
2036 (Projected)	92,250
Projected Increase	+16,800
Employment
2016	111,299
2036 (Projected)	129,263
Projected Increase	+17,964

This is the city at the centre of Greater Newcastle, the largest regional centre in NSW and the economic, service and administrative centre for the region. Newcastle provides the most diverse mix of specialised services in the Hunter region, and significant employment and residential development, and associated infrastructure.

 

Regional priorities

• Provide a buffer to the Port of Newcastle operations through appropriate zoning to safeguard its future.
• Continue the revitalisation of Newcastle City Centre.
• Reinforce established renewal corridors by encouraging densities that support further improvements to the public transport network.
• Provide small-scale renewal and redevelopment of larger sites for infill housing.

 

Centres and employment

Regionally significant centres and employment land clusters:

• Global Gateways: Port of Newcastle
• Strategic centres: Newcastle City Centre, John Hunter Hospital, Callaghan and Kotara, Broadmeadow (emerging)
• Centres of local significance: Waratah, Hunter TAFE at Tighes Hill, Wallsend, The Junction, Jesmond, Hamilton and Mayfield.

 

Priorities for strategic centres:

Newcastle City Centre

• Continue revitalisation to create an exciting place that attracts people, business and investment, domestically and from across the Asia-Pacific.
• Strengthen connections between the city and the waterfront and improve civic spaces.
• Monitor commercial floor space to assist with planning for growth in service industries and the projected increase in jobs from 25,000 to 33,000 in the next 20 years.
• Support upgrades to tourism infrastructure to enable increased visitation (by sea and air), to expand on the more than 1 million people that currently visit Newcastle each year.
• Plan for the expansion of the University of Newcastle and support initiatives to develop the city centre as a hub for innovation.
• Monitor residential development activity to assist with planning for 6,000 new dwellings.
• Deliver the Newcastle Light Rail from Wickham to Pacific Park to provide frequent, reliable and comfortable travel through the city centre.
• Deliver the new transport interchange at Wickham that will integrate trains, buses, taxis and light rail, as well as pathways for cyclists and car drop-off and pick-up points. This is an important gateway into the city centre and is the backbone of future extensions of the transport network.
• Focus investment in infrastructure to alleviate pinch points that will deliver large-scale renewal projects such as site amalgamation and remediation costs. The NSW Government will lead by example, and partner with others to deliver landmark infrastructure projects.

 

Broadmeadow Sport and Entertainment Precinct

• Investigate the potential for renewal in the Broadmeadow precinct, given its location at the geographic centre of inner Newcastle and at the intersection of the inner city’s major thoroughfares and rail corridor.
• Enhance public transport access to Newcastle City Centre, the John Hunter Hospital and other strategic centres.
• Diversify the range of services on offer and expand the large recreation and entertainment focus as industrial and manufacturing activities relocate.
• Implement existing renewal strategies along Tudor Street corridor, and consider a review of densities to ensure that a range of public transport improvements are viable. The review should
• investigate extending the renewal area and achieve better integration between Nineways, Broadmeadow and the sport and entertainment precinct.
• Continue the investment and precinct planning (by the NSW Government) for the Broadmeadow sporting and entertainment precinct and the Broadmeadow rail station.

 

John Hunter Hospital

• Support the development of a health cluster that provides world-class education, health and research services.
• Support expanded community health and wellbeing services, as well as industry sustainability and innovation activities.

 

Callaghan Education Precinct

• Continue to provide world-class education and research services.
• Support the development of an innovation cluster.

 

Kotara

• Continue to provide regionally significant retail, and support growth and diversification of other employment and economic activities.
• Investigate opportunities for medium- to high-density housing within (as shop top housing) or close to the centre, in areas not constrained by flooding.
• Enhance public transport access to other strategic centres in Greater Newcastle.

 

Housing

Future housing and urban renewal opportunities:

• Deliver housing and employment in the following existing renewal centres, precincts and corridors: Newcastle City Centre; Wickham–Hamilton–Broadmeadow (Tudor Road Corridor);
• Broadmeadow–Adamstown (Bunker Road Corridor); and Wickham–Islington–Mayfield (Maitland Road Corridor).
• Deliver housing in Urban Release Areas in the Newcastle–Lake Macquarie Western Corridor.
• Investigate new renewal opportunities in centres including The Junction, Georgetown/Waratah, Adamstown, Lambton, New Lambton and Kotara.
• Investigate and prioritise additional renewal corridors for longer-term growth that supports public transport improvements, including for Newcastle–The Junction–Merewether (Darby Street Corridor); Broadmeadow–New Lambton/Lambton; and Adamstown and Kotara.