Gregory Hills primary school: Labor campaign for delivery to be fast-tracked
An empty block of dust sitting next to Gregory Hills Drive is a daily reminder a promised primary school in Gregory Hills has never surfaced. Now Labor is calling for construction on the site to be fast-tracked.
Macarthur
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An empty block of dust sitting next to Gregory Hills Drive is a daily reminder for the hundreds of young families in the area of the promised primary school which has never surfaced.
The 3ha Gregory Hills site was first earmarked as the future school site in 2013. Since then, the highly-anticipated Gregory Hills Drive opened, had a speed-limit change, Gregory Hills Town Centre was built and opened, a legal dispute threatened the existence of Grima Bros produce store and the vacant school site sat largely untouched.
NSW Opposition leader Jodi McKay visited Gregory Hills on Tuesday to launch a campaign to fast track construction and generate job growth by building schools in new growth areas such as Gregory Hills.
“The government has about 100 schools where it has no timeline (for construction) and no budget attached,” she said.
“(Gregory Hills) is one of the fastest growing areas in the state. Enrolments here will surge by about 40 per cent in the next five years which is enormous.
“When you are moving people into an area like this you have got to have the infrastructure.”
Shadow Education Minister Prue Carr said the construction of a school in an area such as Gregory Hills should be “first cab off the rank”.
“Gregory Hills is now a well established suburb and every time these people drive past the shopping centre, or Howard Park, they’re reminded of the fact that there is a site for a school but no public school,” she said.
“We are going to have a whole generation of kids that are going to miss out.”
Two years ago, former Camden MP Chris Patterson told the Macarthur Chronicle the school would be completed by 2022.
Camden Liberal MP Peter Sidgreaves said he could not provide any timeline for the delivery of a school in Gregory Hills, but said he was proud of the government’s track record of swiftly delivering nearby primary schools in the growth area.
“Gregory Hills (Public School) was always the last one that was to be done,” he said.
“The schools that were in line before include Catherine Fields primary school, Leppington East or Willowdale primary school and even Gledswood Hills primary school which was delivered this year.
“I can certainly say the students will be catered for.”