Tamworth Regional Council 'ignored' resident when he warned of Arcadia Estate road issue

Residents of suburban Rodeo Drive responded with shock last week, to the news that the quiet street would be used as an access road for the new suburb with about 5000 residents.

Mr Gill said he complained in 2017 that council hadn't given enough thought - or detail - to the road access issues, particularly connections to the north of the huge new estate, which he criticised as too circuitous.

Five years later he said the same problem remains.

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"I never really got a one-to-one response from council," he said.

"All that's ever happened is that my submission ends up in a report that's subsequently put to council.

"Basically [they] said 'not required at this point in time' to most of those answers. There was never really an engagement on those points. You can see in there that the north-south traffic issue has been a theme all the way along."

But while some complain they haven't been listened to, most residents concerned about the plan have criticised council for not telling them about it in the first place.

Where the council has said the plans are openly available.

Rodeo Drive homeowner Heidi Elliott, who bought in the area in 2017, said she submitted a pair of development applications to council without being told about the plan.

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"Never once did the council, in the duty of care say 'just FYI, before you spend your money, this is what's going to happen in the future'," she said.

"This is where the transparency gets very murky because they seem to have all the knowledge yet they take our council lodgment fees for a DA ... and don't feel the need to share any information in return about their plans for the future."

A spokesperson for Tamworth Regional Council said that a review of transport routes, that had already been undertaken, had identified the largest increase in traffic volume was expected on Duri Road and Burgmanns Lane.

"It is also the responsibility of the developer to submit traffic studies for any forthcoming development application, which will also be placed on public exhibition," she said.

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"The current adopted development control plan is publicly available and includes the plan for Arcadia Estate, which identifies Rodeo Drive as an access point."

Council first advertised plans relating to the new suburb development in 2017, before adopting the site-specific development control plan the same year.

In March 2022, about 150 letters were distributed to residents either adjoining or nearby the subject site, advising them of the proposal, which included retaining Rodeo Drive as one of the access routes to the Arcadia Estate, including Burgmann's Lane, Werris Creek Road, and Bylong Road, the spokesperson said.

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