Sydney-scale growth, rural funding: Hunter council demands special growth area status

Cessnock council will this week consider formally lobbying the state and federal governments to recognise the Hunter city as an "emerging growth area".

It argues the council is being asked to deliver housing at the scale of Sydney's outer suburbs without the same infrastructure funding or policy attention.

A mayoral minute going to Wednesday's ordinary council meeting asks councillors to endorse an advocacy position paper titled Cessnock: Recognise an Emerging Growth Area, and to write to the Premier, relevant ministers, state and federal members and government agencies seeking support.

The minute says the city's population has grown to more than 74,000 and is forecast to exceed 115,000 by 2046.

The attached paper puts the forecast increase at 51,635 residents between 2021 and 2046, or about 80.6 per cent over 25 years.

The report says Cessnock's estimated resident population reached 71,443 in 2025, a one-year rise of 2.9 per cent, compared with 0.86 per cent for regional NSW.

That is more than three times the regional average.

Mayor Dan Watton said formal recognition was not simply symbolic.

"This is significant," he said.

"We need the infrastructure, we've got a backlog as we speak now."

"We have to be able to pay for the new infrastructure, all the pipes, the roads and the other things council nees to take care of."

"The fact we are growing so fast, we simply cannot keep up with it."

The paper says Cessnock is "rarely recognised" as a growth area in government policy, funding or public discussion, while councils such as Camden, Blacktown, Wollondilly and even Maitland routinely are.

"This disconnect creates a significant challenge for our community."

It says Cessnock is often characterised, if at all, solely as a rural council.

"The objective of this paper is not to seek special treatment," it says, adding that policy and investment should "accurately reflect" the growth in the area.

The paper points to four housing growth fronts in Huntlee, Branxton-Greta-North Rothbury, Bellbird North and the Kurri Kurri-Maitland corridor.

Branxton-Greta-North Rothbury is forecast to add about 16,781 residents by 2046, making it the largest growth area in the local government area.

Bellbird North is forecast to add about 8657, and the Kurri Kurri-Maitland corridor about 8109.

"We are one of the few councils actually keeping up with our housing supply demand," Cr Watton said.

"These communities are making a substantial contribution to state housing objectives and helping address the ongoing housing supply challenge facing NSW.

"The state and federal governments need to pick up their end of the deal and pay for their old infrastructure.

"It is simply not fair, if it falls to the ratepayer."

The paper says the NSW government has set a target of 3900 new homes in the Cessnock local government area by 2029.

It also cites the Hunter Regional Plan's identified need for about 101,800 additional dwellings across the region by 2041.

The minute says growing demand for roads, public transport, schools, health services, community facilities, open space and utilities means infrastructure investment "must keep pace" with population growth.

Neither the minute nor the position paper nominates specific funding amounts or projects.

The meeting is on Wednesday, October 21.