Council's quest to find $40m for key infrastructure projects

The council doesn't have enough money to pay for these projects out of its own pocket, so council staff have found a wide range of grant programs to apply for.

The council needs $36.7 million to upgrade the intersection of Haussman Drive and Raymond Terrace Road, duplicate part of Haussman Drive and make a roundabout at the intersection with Taylor Avenue.

It also needs $1.56 million to pay for a roundabout at Tigerhawk Drive and Heritage Drive in Chisholm, a Raymond Terrace Road shared pathway between Settlers Boulevarde and Hillgate Drive and school zone road safety upgrades at Ashtonfield Public School.

Maitland councillor Robert Aitchison said there was a "huge amount of money" to find for the Haussman Drive and Raymond Terrace Road intersection.

"I just find it a little bit overwhelming ... that we're almost $24 million down on the Haussmann Drive intersection," he said.

The council is $12.1 million short on the Taylor Avenue roundabout and Haussman Drive duplication project.

Transport and infrastructure engineering operations manager Chris Pinchen said the Thornton road upgrades were a "high priority" and had been included in the council's delivery program.

"Community frustration regarding the lack of infrastructure delivery has been identified through ongoing community engagement and community surveys," he said.

"The works provide a critical link between the Thornton North growth precinct, and the regionally significant employment precincts of Thornton and Beresfield. They will also open up opportunities for the development of new housing."

There is no guarantee the grant applications will be successful.

Mr Pinchen blamed the introduction of a cap on the collection of developer contributions for the council's position.

He said it had affected the amount of money that came from the Thornton North Section 94 Contributions Plan 2008.

"Project costs increase without a commensurate increase in the indexation of developer contributions," he said.

"This has had significant financial implications in the delivery of the infrastructure needs of the Thornton and Chisholm suburbs."

The cost to deliver infrastructure is expensive.

The Chisholm roundabout is expected to cost $570,000, the shared pathway $650,000 and the school zone road safety infrastructure $340,00.

The council is also seeking $1.3 million for stage 2 of the upgrades at Cooks Square Park through the regional precincts and partnerships program.

It would use the money to improve drainage to the new training pitch, improve lighting on field one to achieve "semi-professional match play" and amateur match play on field 2 and deliver fencing, footpaths, landscaping and detailed design and approvals for stage 3, which includes a clubhouse building with change rooms.

The regional program offers grants between $5 million and $50 million but most of the other grants only allow applications up to $5 million or $10 million.

That means the council has to apply for multiple grant programs to fund its plans.

The council said there was "no single grant funding program with individual funding amounts to allow for a single grant application to be lodged".

The council will apply for the state voluntary planning agreements, housing support program, towards zero safer roads program, heavy vehicle safety and productivity program and the regional precincts and partnerships program to find $36.7 million.

It will apply for the Play our Way program to fund the Cook Square Park upgrades.