Blueridge Business Park businesses and effected residents are encouraged to engage with Council on proposed delivery of infrastructure projects designed to accommodate future growth in surrounding areas.

Our Infrastructure Strategy and Design team understand and hope to anticipate impacts the delivery of this project may have on business, industry and residents within the impacted zone of Blueridge Business Park.

These staged projects will deliver on Council's long-term strategy to enable efficient distribution of traffic around the eastern and southern edges of Dubbo urban limits.

The Blueridge Business Park will undergo a schedule of works that could impact businesses, residents, schools and nearby industries intermittently throughout the duration. To help inform Council of your concerns a range of consultation opportunities are available for you to have your say.

Since consultation commenced with the businesses and stakeholders within the Blueridge Business Park, we have identified an opportunity to fund this strategy. As our new approach towards a haulage strategy begins to take shape. We want to ensure the community have access to the most up to date information and an opportunity to engage with Council on the proposed plans. Here is an overview of actions currently underway.

Grant Funding

Council has identified an opportunity to apply for funding under the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program. The application will be completed by external resources, which will be funded from the Road Strategy operational budget. The assessment process for the program will take place in March/April 2024, and the successful applicants will be announced in May/June 2024. If the application is successful, the funding will also support stage two works, which is the Southern Distribution Road. However, due to the complexity of the intersection, completing it within the given timeframe is not feasible and will be addressed in the future. Assuming the grant funding is successful, the project will start within three months of the funding approval. The project aims to be completed by 31 March 2026, and the grant commitment will end on 30 June 2026.

Proposed Land Acquisition

A crucial link with this project involves the acquisition of land. Council will submit an application to the Minister for Local Government and the Governor of NSW seeking approval for the compulsory acquisition of portions of Lot 11 on DP1293863, Lot 51 on DP612578, and Lot 2 on DP1246347.

Detailed information regarding the land acquisition process is currently confidential. Further details will be made available to the public once the process is completed and ready for public disclosure.

Traffic Report

As a result of consultation in 2023, the proposed Road and Haulage strategy has undergone an independent review.

Overview of findings: The options study was undertaken to provide an independent assessment of potential haulage options. A total of 5 options were assessed including two existing options and three future options.

• In the short-term, Option 3 (along new Blueridge Link Road, left into Capital Drive, left into Blueridge Drive and onto the highway at the Wellington Road / Blueridge Drive seagull intersection) has been identified as the best performing option.
• In the long-term , Option 4 (along new Blueridge Link Road, onto new Southern Distributor Road, onto the highway at a new Mitchell Highway / Southern Distributor intersection) has been recognised to be a more appropriate haulage route.

To view the South-East Dubbo Haulage Routes | Options Study. Click here.

Background

In the November 2022 Ordinary Council Meeting, Council adopted the alignment of the Blueridge Link Road (Southern Distributor) and resolved to acquire land to secure a road corridor for the future road. Council’s Design Section are currently working on the detailed design for the Stage 1 road and the associated drainage works. Following completion of design, Council will proceed with the construction of Stage 1, and then open the road for public use. Stage 2 of the Southern Distributor will be constructed in the future when required to support traffic generated by future developments.

Change in Haulage Route for Heavy Industry Developments

Once the Stage 1 road is open to the public, Council proposes to change the primary haulage route for the existing concrete works and two quarries currently operating on Sheraton Road, with the alignment shown in the above diagram. This change will introduce haulage trucks through the Blueridge Business Park via Capital Drive and Blueridge Drive to the Mitchell Highway as shown. When Stage 2 is constructed in the future, Council’s strategy is to redirect the primary haulage route via the Stage 2 Southern Distributor alignment out to the Mitchell Highway.

Reason for the Change in Haulage Route

The current primary haulage route for the abovementioned heavy industry developments is via Sheraton Road to the Mitchell Highway. There have been ongoing discussions with St Johns Primary, St Johns College, Skillset High School and Dubbo Christian School about the safety issues associated with heavy vehicles travelling through the existing school zone on Sheraton Road. Council’s long-term strategy is for the primary haulage route to be via the Southern Distributor to the Mitchell Highway (combined Stage 1 & 2 alignments), however due to limited funding and resources, Council is proposing the interim haulage route via Capital Drive and Blueridge Drive to the Mitchell Highway.