PLANNING Minister Pru Goward has unveiled a vision for the city centre, including buildings near Newcastle station, at a Property Council lunch at City Hall.
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Ms Goward called on opponents to changes in the inner city to "support a positive vision for Newcastle's future", unveiling before and after images showing developments around the existing Newcastle station building.
The vision comes from the Design Newcastle consultation revealed in Friday's Herald.
The plan includes a major regional park on the foreshore, preserving the station building as a market and turning Queens Wharf into an entertainment quarter.
Several priority projects' futures remain in limbo until the rail corridor's future is nailed down, but Ms Goward said negotiations were underway with Newcastle City Council for a joint venture foreshore.
"Novocastrians told us they want heritage preserved, and they told us they want a new produce market to enliven the city,” Ms Goward said.
“We are wasting no time. Late last year we gathered the feedback, and now we are using that feedback to plan the future."
"I am pleased to reveal today the early impressions of what that future could look like.
Ms Goward said it was vital that the community understood there were no plans for "a Gold Coast style foreshore".
"In fact the priority is open space and sensible, sensitive options to reactivate the precinct," she said.
Newcastle Liberal candidate Karen Howard said the plan put "a very clear vision" to Novocastrians.
"Light rail is coming, and additional projects like produce markets, an entertainment precinct, and harbourside park are fantastic initiatives which would truly cement Newcastle as a destination to live, work and play," she said.
“I am hopeful we can reach an agreement with Newcastle City Council to make this vision a reality, so Novocastrians can have an active space close to the harbour to enjoy the outdoors within a stone’s throw of the CBD,” Ms Goward said.
After opening the third of three temporary crossings on the rail line, Ms Goward said the city needed to make its thoughts clear on the new vision.
“The government is hopeful of a favourable ruling from the court on the issue of the rail corridor, but it is more important than ever that the community in Newcastle sends a strong message that it supports our positive vision for the future,” Ms Goward said.
Comments on the Design Newcastle project can be made at www.revitalisingnewcastle.com.au.
UrbanGrowth NSW will prepare more detailed plans for further consultation in coming months.