![The Plumpton Road and Red Hill Road roundabout intersection. Picture by Les Smith The Plumpton Road and Red Hill Road roundabout intersection. Picture by Les Smith](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/34LhtAQascFe7b8mpJkRfDb/538946be-a9c0-46b6-a041-04c3a5834460.jpg/r0_0_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
To keep up with the projected growth of Wagga, $94.4 million will be invested into infrastructure to support the delivery of new homes in the city's southern and northern suburbs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The joint investment will see the NSW Government provide $70.8 million in funding and Wagga City Council stump up $23.6 million to provide infrastructure to support the development of 14,500 homes in the southern and northern growth areas.
Wagga mayor Dallas Tout said local government had been advocating for support in relation to infrastructure provisions across the city.
"It's fantastic ... because without that foundational infrastructure support it'll be more difficult and take a longer time to build the city - with residential growth, roads, etc - to where we need it to be," he said.
"So this is a major injection of funds and it is appreciated by council that the state government has seen fit to award this amount to Wagga."
The state government's funding will be divided across three projects.
There will be $24.9 million for the duplication of the Plumpton Road corridor between Lake Albert Road and Gregadoo Road, six intersection upgrades and associated storm water infrastructure. This will support the release of residential land within the southern growth area for 2750 homes.
A further $24.67 million will be invested for the duplication of the Plumpton Road corridor between Gregadoo Road and Rowan Road, two intersection upgrades and associated storm water infrastructure under the Plumpton Road South plan.
This will support the release of residential land within the southern growth area for 2750 homes.
And finally, $21.23 million will be put towards upgrades to provide critical infrastructure providing sewer capacity to cater for housing growth in the northern growth area and industrial growth in the Bomen Special Activation Precinct to support 9000 homes.
Wagga MP Joe McGirr said the funding would drive growth to the city's north and south.
"Expanding the industrial and housing base in the north and opening the way for thousands of people to build new homes in the south," he said.
Cr Tout said for growth areas, an issue for local government is always trying to keep infrastructure provisions ahead of growth.
"Sometimes it's very difficult and it doesn't happen and it comes afterwards," he said.
"So this will give us the ability to factor that infrastructure provision in the right time frame and in the right order."
Cr Tout also thanked Dr McGirr for his advocacy and support in obtaining this funding.
Dr McGirr said housing was a significant issue in the current economy and a contributing factor to the housing shortage was having a lack of infrastructure in place.
"The announcement about getting the sewage infrastructure done in the northern zone will be a big factor in getting that work [done] and getting that land opened up," he said.
"And it is the same for the road in the southern zone.
"You won't get the developments without infrastructure ... well done to council for putting it in. This is a really significant development and this level of funding is going to be a real boost to getting the housing sorted in Wagga.
"We're a growing city and we need houses. It's the number one thing people are looking for ... [and] this announcement, I think is a big win for Wagga and for the region."