Work is ready to commence on the next stage of City of Newcastle's East End Village project, with onsite crews mobilising next week for the section of Hunter Street between Thorn and Wolfe streets, and on Wolfe Street between King and Scott streets.
New paving, roadway and footpaths will enhance the area for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers. Stormwater pipes will also be upgraded as part of the project to replace the Hunter Street Mall with a reinstated traditional high street.
An artist's impression of the upgraded streetscape that will be delivered as part of the next stage of the East End Village project.
The project will deliver a range of streetscape improvements including multi-function street lighting, new street furniture and extensive landscaping, as well as an extension of the two-way cycleway on the northern side of Hunter Street.
Underground site investigations were carried out last year in preparation for the main construction work, which was programmed to begin after the upgrade between Perkins and Brown streets was finalised. That section of Hunter Street was reopened to the community earlier this month.
City of Newcastle's Interim Executive Director of City Infrastructure, Robert Dudgeon, said extensive community input into the East End Streetscape Masterplan helped shape the project.
"This is a shared vision developed in consultation with the community, which will see the reinstatement of a traditional high street where people can enjoy boutique retail opportunities and outdoor dining," Mr Dudgeon said.
"When we complete this stage of the project we will have invested more than $16 million, which is being delivered in sections to minimise, as much as possible, the disruption for local residents and businesses.
"The staged nature of the program also allows us to align our improvements with other developments in the area including that being undertaken by Iris Capital, as we work collaboratively to enhance the lifestyle and experience offered within our city centre."
This will be the third phase of five scheduled for the East End Village project. Construction initially focused on the block bound by Hunter, Wolf, King and Perkins streets to deliver new paving, service upgrades, street furniture, new gardens and trees, as well as significant upgrades to stormwater, drainage, cycleways and footpaths.
The recently completed second phase has transformed a key pedestrian and cyclist entry point between Perkins and Brown streets, improving and extending the streetscape with new trees, landscaping and paving, as well as extensive work to upgrade and relocate key utilities, and realign the road.
Preliminary design work is already underway for the remaining stages along Hunter Street between Thorn and Newcomen, and then Market Street, with work planned for delivery in the current Council term.
Visit the project page on City of Newcastle's website to stay up-to-date with the latest information on current and future stages.
