Lithgow City Council says it has “reset” plans for future growth after a decision by the NSW Government ruled out a conversion of the former Wallerawang power station site to an energy from waste facility.
Lithgow Council had proposed inclusion of the site in the government’s energy plans on the basis of the potential for the baseload power and heat to attract significant investment in manufacturing and industries.
It said the concepts being developed had an investment value of more than $1 billion and would deliver at least 500 new local jobs.
In a statement, NSW Deputy Premier, Paul Toole said there would be no changes to zoning to allow the energy from waste plant following an assessment of the site by the Environment Protection Authority.
“There will be no change to the energy waste priority infrastructure areas, and therefore an energy from waste project will not go ahead at the Wallerawang Business Park,” he said.
Lithgow Mayor, Maree Statham said the Council had responded to the government’s announcement by resetting and moving attention to the alternatives to fundamentally re-shape the city’s future.
Nothing has changed in terms of the “end game”, she said.
“It is an inescapable truth that Lithgow’s economy is undergoing and will continue to undergo change. Economic change and growth requires investment – public and private. This city requires sustained and substantial investment.”
“This Council is firmly focused on securing the city’s future as a prosperous place with a diversity of jobs for our community.
“Yes, we will see some growth of tourism jobs because of the Gardens of Stone and some discovery of the city’s natural beauty. We will see more jobs as a result of the need for health and allied services. There will also be some industry opportunities with the rise of Western Sydney. But many of these incremental changes will take years to realise. I believe that more urgency is required in our case,” the Mayor said.
“While we need to assemble a number of job-creating projects, one of the real game-changers for this city will be the activation of the Wallerawang site. I have a very clear vision of this site, with its more than 200 hectares of potential employment land, as a jobs rich precinct.”
She said Council staff were working with expert advisors to develop the vision and the investment case for the precinct.
“Nothing has changed in terms of this Council’s focus on job creation. We just need to work even more innovatively,” said Mayor Statham.