Thursday January 21

Detailed design work and construction schedules will begin immediately after the announcement of a $1.3 million interest free loan to Tamworth Regional Council for an upgrade to part of Browns Lane at Hills Plain.

Tamworth Regional Council says a new $1.3 million interest free loan from the NSW Infrastructure Fund will help build a new 1.2 kilometer sealed road stretch along Browns Lane to boost the release of new residential housing lots in the Hills Plain area.

General Manager Glenn Inglis says the announcement today by the minister Tony Kelly of the loan will help deliver more key infrastructure into the new residential area to the north of the city and promote more development.

Mr Inglis says TRC is keen to get the road upgrade done as soon as it can.

Tamworth Regional Council says the works will deliver a divided road for 1.2 kilometer from the intersection of Browns Lane and Moore Creek Road west towards the Manilla Road junction.

The work involves major earthworks and bringing in about 3000 cubic metres of material to lift the road carriageway up from its present low  incline and position a new culvert under part of it. The project will also involve extensive underground stormwater works.

The single lane carriageway will have a concrete median divider.

Mr Inglis said the works will provide an upgraded road network for three major developments already approved for Browns Lane, including the Windmill Hill and Windmill Downs estates.

It will stimulate the earlier release of hundreds of residential blocks along Browns Lane.

Some preliminary and basic intersection pavement work will also be done at the same time to support plans for a future four lane roundabout construction at the crossroads. The loan is repayable over 10 years.

“This is a great turbo boost for the Hills Plain development story. This area will eventually see the release of about 8000 blocks and a population of about 10,000 over the next 20 years,”
Mr Inglis said.