Station St: Wingecarribee councillor claims upgrade will cost more than $70 million

A Wingecarribee councillor claims a planned upgrade to a Bowral road has blown out to more than $70 million.

A Wingecarribee Councillor claims the controversial Station Street upgrade has blown out to more than $70 million, well beyond the initial estimation of $9.5 million.

At Wednesday’s council meeting, Cr Gary Turland read out a list of the costs associated with the Station St project, which totalled a staggering $70.3 million.

The project was originally estimated to cost $9.5 million in 2017 to upgrade the section of road from Bowral St to Bundaroo St. The cost of that less than 3km stretch of road is now apparently $43 million.

Cr Ian Scandrett, who estimated last year that the cost would increase to $43 million, said the blowout was unacceptable.

“This will soak up so much of our budget from all over the Shire,” he said.

Acting general manager Barry Paull has previously said cost estimates won’t be accurate until the project is underway.

“The actual cost of the Station Street project will not be known until the project is put to the competitive market by the tender process,” he said.

After raising the issue of the cost blow out, Cr Turland claimed the council did not have the finances to support the ballooning costs.

“To raise a $43 million cost for this project is unrealistic financial suicide,” he said.

“It would be less than half our rate base money on one project that wouldn’t be finished.”

Mayor Duncan Gair said the council was applying for grants to fund the project, and has been in contact with Regional Transport and Roads Minister Paul Toole and Transport Minister Andrew Constance.

However, Wollondilly MP Nathaniel Smith said he was firmly against the project and is urging NSW Ministers not to provide further funding for the project. He revealed this to the community group Friends of Bowral, who strongly advocate against the plans. President Peter Edwards is not surprised that the project is unpopular.

“There seems to be no appetite in Government to help Wingecarribee out of this pickle of its own concoction,” he said.

The iconic Station St entrance to Bowral. Photo: Peter Edwards

According to Cr Turland, Minister Toole has refused to release the initial grant of $7.5 million due to their inactivity. He estimates the council has already spent $2.5 million of the grant on costs such as consulting.

“We don’t have the money,” he said.

The Friends of Bowral said it was “disgusted” by the lack of consultation with the community, and the lack of transparency from council. The updated cost of $32 million was heard at a confidential council meeting on the December 9, 2020, but has only just become public.

The last meeting with the community on Station St was in September 2017 and it was met with unanimous rejection, according to Mr Edwards.

“The currently proposed road realignment, approved by Council on March 25, 2020, has not been exhibited to the community for public comment or consultation,” he said.

Acting general manager Mr Paull admitted in an email to Infrastructure NSW that further consultation with the community would mark the project as “dead”.

Friends of Bowral rally against Station St development. Photo: Peter Edwards

Many of the community are upset about the proposed loss of the eight mature pin oak trees that line the entrance to Bowral. However, Cr Gair said the council had purchased six 20-year-old pin oaks at $7,000 each to replace the lost trees, as well as a hundred mature trees to be planted in the area.

Despite concerns there will be less carparks for commuters and more hazards for pedestrians, Mayor Gair said the current Station St plan was the only option that Transport NSW would accept.

“The project is viable, it will be effective, and it will go ahead,” he said.

“It’s short term pain for long term benefit.”