BARNABY JOYCE WELCOMES $1 MILLION FOR ARMIDALE AIRPORT ROUNDABOUT

27 Jun 2016

The Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said the announcement of $1 million for the construction of a roundabout on the New England Highway at Armidale Airport will be widely welcomed in the community.

 

The construction of the roundabout is expected to cost $3 million and will provide access to a proposed subdivision on land both east and west of the highway.

 

Mr Joyce said Armidale Regional Airport and the adjacent service industry is a major contributor to transport linkages and service support for the New England and Northern Tablelands region of the Electorate.

 

He said the Armidale Regional Council expects major jobs growth in the regional economy through implementation of the Council’s master-planned airport precinct development.

 

“Our Coalition Government plan is carefully structured to provide jobs and growth and a secure future for Australian families,” he said.

 

“We’re working hard right through the Electorate to ensure this plan will deliver for the future.

 

“Today’s announcement is on top of our pledge to bring $10 million to improve water quality to Werris Creek, Quirindi and Willow Tree and $12 million pledged for Mt Lindesay Road from Woodenbong to Legume road which will unblock and make far safer a major artery between the Northern Rivers and Queensland’s Darling Downs.”

 

The precinct development comprises a major transport roundabout on the New England Highway, 19.5 hectares of future new small lot business and industry development, a motel, a roadside service centre and museum on the airport side of the highway.

 

Armidale Regional Council’s Administrator, Dr Ian Tiley said the function of the roundabout, which is to be located about 360 metres south towards Uralla from the current Armidale Regional Airport entrance off the New England Highway, is to provide primary transport access to the new precinct development.

 

“Without the roundabout, much of the increased jobs potential that will flow from the Airport precinct would not be viable purely from an access point,” Dr Tiley said.

 

Work has been steadily progressing since late 2015. Armidale Regional Council engaged consultants Ardill Payne and Partners through a competitive tendering process on the 4 December 2015 to undertake the Survey Investigation and Design of the roundabout.  Ardill Payne and Partners are also designing the proposed Airport Industrial Precinct infrastructure in parallel with the roundabout work achieving synergies in design and optimising project outcomes.

 

The design program for the roundabout will see the finalisation of documentation for construction at the end of October 2016 subject to RMS approval of the design.

 

Roundabout construction commencement is expected in 2017. To date consultants have completed the site survey, geotechnical investigations for the pavement design, utilities investigation and are now proceeding with the elements of the detailed design. Staged approval of the design will be required by the RMS who is working co-operatively with Council to achieve a successful outcome to the project.

 

The Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall with the Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce and Armidale Regional Council acting General Manager, Glenn Wilcox.

 

 

Send an Enquiry