Property Council Hunter and Central Coast Regional Director Nuatali Nelmes said the plan responds to long-standing Property Council calls for better road, rail and freight connections, but industry remains concerned about the lack of clear priorities, timeframes and accountability.
"The Hunter deserves a transport blueprint that delivers on our growth ambitions - both in vision and action. The plan recognises the role of transport in unlocking 30,000 new homes, supporting the visitor economy, and strengthening freight links to renewable energy zones and these are welcome commitments for which we've advocated," Ms Nelmes said.
"However, without a clear delivery plan, key initiatives run the risk of remaining on paper. Industry needs certainty on when the upgrades will happen, how the projects will be prioritised, and how the bottlenecks - including delays in transport development assessments - will be resolved."
The Property Council highlighted several positives in the plan:
- commitment to improve rail reliability on the Hunter Line
- upgrades to Newcastle Link Road, Cessnock Road, and Nelson Bay Road
- recognition of Newcastle Airport and the visitor economy as priorities
- stronger focus on safety and resilience across the network.
Ms Nelmes said more was required to match the scale of the region's growth.
"Our submission called for explicit prioritisation of the Lower Hunter Freight Corridor, a plan for extending Newcastle Light Rail to Broadmeadow and the John Hunter Hospital, and a stronger commitment to reusing transport corridors left by the mining industry. These are all critical to unlocking homes, jobs, and investment in the Hunter.
"While the plan acknowledges the need for better public transport, we need to see more detail here. Changing habits and growing mode share for public transport will require sustained investment, clearer sequencing, and stronger integration with housing delivery.
"We need a delivery plan that sets targets, provides timelines, and gives industry and the community confidence that progress will be made.
"This plan is a welcome start - and the Property Council stands ready to partner with government, councils and the community to make sure the Hunter gets the infrastructure it needs to keep pace with growth, create jobs and build thriving, connected places," Ms Nelmes said.
