It’s not time to pop the champagne cork yet, but trains will almost certainly run between Narellan and Campbelltown some time in the near future.
Transport for NSW wants to extend the south west rail link – which now ends at Leppington – to Bringelly and then to Badgerys Creek Airport and further northwards, as well as south from Bringelly to Narellan.
When Transport NSW ran a consulation period in 2014, Campbelltown Council lodged a vigorous submission advocating for the extension of the line further south from Narellan.
Campbelltown wants the line to hook up with the southern line at Campbelltown or Macarthur stations.
While Transport NSW was studying the submissions on the south west rail link extensions, the new metropolitan strategy, A Plan for Growing Sydney, was released by the NSW Government.
It was this strategy that officially named Campbelltown/Macarthur as Sydney’s newest regional city centre and also recognised the importance of the substantial potential that the Macarthur South Area had for future urban development.
Transport for NSW has now released an update on the South West Rail Link Extension project that focuses particularly on the southern section, from Leppington to Bringelly and south to Narellan.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]A new community consultation period will now be completed before a final decision is made, but Campbelltown Council’s submission is part of that consultation, which means it is a step closer to being part of the final decision.[/social_quote]
Transport for NSW will consult the community further on:
• The recommended corridor from Leppington to Bringelly to Narellan and,
• The study area from Narellan to the T2 South Line.
Submissions will be received until July 20 and will focus on proposals for:
• Transport for NSW to investigate a further extension of the rail corridor from Narellan to connect with the T2 South Line;
• Look at the possibility for the corridor to run west of Mt Annan through Spring Farm, connecting to the T2 South Line near Menangle.
Transport NSW says extending the corridor from Narellan to the T2 South Line would:
serve the transport needs generated by the long term growth in the newly developing areas of West Appin and Macarthur South;
connect Narellan with jobs and services in Campbelltown/Macarthur, the broader Western Sydney Employment Area and the Badgerys Creek Airport;
Improve regional transport access to UWS Campbelltown campus together with health, shopping and recreational services at Macarthur;
Help ease traffic congestion on Narellan Road;
Improve access for customers from the Southern Highlands.
A report to Campbelltown Council last week said that, “it should be noted that these attributes are generally consistent with the reasons council promoted to Transport for NSW in seeking support for the extension of the rail link from Narellan to Campbelltown/Macarthur.
“Accordingly, council is urged to support the NSW Government in the identification of a preferred corridor between Narellan and the Great Southern Line as a matter of the highest priority.
“This would facilitate more sustainable planning for the Macarthur South Urban Investigation Area and precinct planning in and around the Campbelltown/Macarthur Regional City Centre, in the best economic and social interests of not only Campbelltown, but for the future of the Macarthur Region as a whole,’’ the report said.
Councillors voted unanimously to support the following recommendation:
That Council prepare a submission to Transport for NSW urging the NSW Government to:
a. support the extension of the South West Rail Link beyond Narellan to connect with the T2 South Line, and work collaboratively with council in the identification of a suitable corridor route that maximises access to the Campbelltown/Macarthur Regional City Centre to
and from future urban release areas, and key economic/employment nodes such as the Badgerys Creek Airport and Broader Western Sydney Employment Area.
b. expedite the preservation of the preferred corridor route in consultation with council and the broader community.
Back to the future we go! If only the original line from C’Town to Camden had been left there!
What scares me the most is the placing of properties in a ‘corridor’. I have lived in the ‘south West Growth Centre’ and our land values dropped even though we were a growth centre. We sold and moved into Narellan and now fear the rail corridor will be over our property, which is very close to the town center No one will purchase land in a proposed rail corridor so land values will drop and government can then purchase when they want at a ‘legitimate’ lower value. Been there, seen it happen!