We have been progressing plans for the development of the Thurgoona Link Road Project to provide the transport infrastructure needed to meet the rapid growth of Thurgoona-Wirlinga in the years ahead.
The Road has been identified as the major linkage that will connect the Thurgoona-Wirlinga growth area to the greater Albury area by transferring traffic north onto the Hume Freeway and providing an east-west connection. This will reduce congestion in suburban streets. It will be developed in five stages over five years commencing in 2022 with a second phase to widen the Road to two lanes planned for 15 to 25 years time.
Concept designs have been developed to identify areas of land required. There will be a very rigorous environmental and heritage assessment process including community engagement and opportunities for community submissions. Work in this process has already begun. Council has engaged experts from ecology and cultural heritage consultants GHD and Biosis to undertake an environmental and heritage assessment. This has identified some potentially significant environmental impacts that will require further assessment and the development of mitigation measures.
Given the nature of potential impacts, the environmental and heritage assessment will be undertaken under NSW State legislation and guidelines. The environmental assessment will also soon be referred to the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment for consideration under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The application of both State and Commonwealth processes will provide a very robust assessment process including community engagement.
We will be providing information about engagement activities in the future. This will include:
We will provide more information and awareness about future community engagement activities planned to be undertaken in mid-2021. This engagement will occur when the Draft Approval Document – Review of Environmental Factors and Draft Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) are available. These two assessments, including summarised documents, will provide the key content for community engagement activities.
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If you have questions or would like more information please contact our Environment team on 02 6023 8111 or email info@alburycity.nsw.gov.au
Images courtesy of Biosis Pty Ltd.
