New West End plans put to public

New dedicated green spaces, a cycle way connecting Wickham Park to Union Street and Hunter Street pedestrian crossings are among improvements to the West End to gain preliminary approval from Council.

A variety of projects to improve the city’s newly emerging CBD will be open to the community for feedback when the draft West End Streetscape - Stage 2 Plan goes on public exhibition today.

How Denison Street could look following the delivery of the West End Streetscape - Stage 2 plan

The Stage 2 Plan follows the adoption of Stage 1 in 2018 which includes plans to upgrade Birdwood and Little Birdwood Parks and Parry Street west. Bluestone paving will also be laid as it has been in the City’s east.

Together, the plans will support the growth of Newcastle’s new CBD and civic precinct.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said stage 2, like stage 1, would help the City create a safe, liveable and accessible precinct around the Newcastle Interchange.

“Our goal is to provide a vibrant streetscape that will shift the dynamic away from a dependence on private transport to one that encourages more public and active transport use,” the Lord Mayor said.

“The plan will see the City improve linkages between Newcastle’s east and west, and north and south, with new green spaces, widened streetscapes and 2km of new separated cycleways.

“It’s worth also noting that while this plan and stage one are part of broader long-term visions for a thriving services-based City centre in the West End, the result is a thriving residential, retail and tourism scene in the city's east.”

How Steel Street could look following the delivery of the West End Streetscape - Stage 2 plan

Five green spaces totalling an area larger than a football field will be built in the west to reduce the risks of a heat island effect, which see built-up urban areas become significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas.

A safe, separated east-west cycleway in the stage 2 plan will stretch from Wickham Park to Union Street along Hunter Street’s southern edge, running between the footpath and a new island bus stop with greenery outside the “Spotlight” corner.

Another separated cycleway will run north from National Park to Honeysuckle along the western side of Steel Street better connecting the Junction and Merewether with the harbour foreshore.

New crossings will also be created for pedestrians along Hunter Street as part of the stage 2 upgrades.

Have your say and view the plans on the West End stage two project.