Our Own News - Issue 315 - October 2009 - Wollombi Valley Online

Lic.no.217793C
WOLLOMBI SANDSTONE
Building & Restoration Work
Monumental Work
Fireplaces, Sculptures etc.
Albert Kraan Lic No. R97059
Ph 02 4998 8340
Fax 02 4998 8352
Mob 0418 280 367
www.wollombisandstone.com.au
Community news for Wollombi and surrounding districts
Issue 315 - Our Own News - October 2009
M.N.B. Roofing
Rinus B. Yirmibes
02 499 88 284
041 041 8285
M�B.roofing@gmail.com
rhinob25@aapt.net.au
LIC 201955C ABN 51 571 160 646
Licensed and insured roof plumber
SERVICING THE LOWER HUNTER AND SURROUNDS
Cunneens Bridge; the way forward
This now seems to be the situation. After many months of
discussion and correspondence between Council, community
groups and landholders, we could summarise the current position,
and the reasons for these interminable delays, as follows.
1. Much of the delay is due to Council changing the location of
the new bridge from upstream – which was originally the
preferred option of its engineers, and was negotiated with
community groups – to the downstream option, providing no
convincing reasons or evidence that would withstand scrutiny.
2. In doing so Council failed to properly assess the implications
of the changed site, in terms of the bridgeworks and road
alignments, and so failed to properly consult and obtain consent
from other public authorities, a process which is still ongoing.
3. Only very recently has Council produced draft surveys and a
plan of acquisition after employing two separate firms of
surveyors. These are still not finalized or in registrable form. Thus
Council still cannot identify the land they need to acquire, or the
cost of acquiring it, and negotiations with the owners on
compensation and other issues cannot be completed.
4. As we all know, the current appalling condition of the old
bridge is the result of the serious lack of maintenance by Council
over many years, since the responsibility for its management was
transferred to Council in the 1990s from the State Government.
5. More seriously, the Federal Government’s funding to assist in
building the new bridge, under the Auslink program, is vulnerable
because of these ongoing delays and may now also be vulnerable
because of the Rudd Government’s recent commitment to fund
the F3 extension to Branxton.
As the most affected landholders, our family is as frustrated and
concerned as everyone in the community by these delays and by
the dysfunctional decision making process, and we want to see a
new bridge built as soon as possible.
There is a way forward. It is clear that most of these problems
have resulted from the decision to build the new bridge
downstream. We need to ask our Councillors to urgently
reconsider, and to revert to, building an upstream bridge It should
be designed, in terms of height, width and structure, to accord
with the requirements of the Wollombi Conservation Zone, to
protect the heritage relics in the bridge precinct, and to provide
an attractive gateway to our village.
Tony Palfreeman
WOLLOMBI
EARTHWORKS
PTY LTD
Dozer, Grader, Backhoe, Tractor
Call Scott and Nickie
Ph/Fax 4998 3308 or 0414 722 292
‘Lochnei’ Yango Creek Road,
Wollombi NSW 2325
12