South Coast MP Shelley Hancock has confirmed a significant amount of money will be allocated to start construction on the new primary school announced for the South Nowra/Worrigee area.
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While Mrs Hancock could not yet announce the location of the site, she did confirm that a site had been chosen and construction will begin in the next 18 months.
Mrs Hancock said she is thrilled to finally see the next steps of a school in the area cemented.
"Prior to the 2019 election I made a commitment to commence planning for a new school for the booming South Nowra/Worrigee region. These plans are well progressed, and once complete, we will immediately start construction on the project," Mrs Hancock said.
"Hopefully we will be turning the first sod on construction before the end of this term of Parliament, which is by the beginning of 2023.
"But because it's now highlighted in the budget, there won't be anything holding us back now because the school has been highlighted as a new project. So it's happening."
The new South Nowra/Worrigee school is part of a $2.1 billion 2021-22 budget allocation, including funding to deliver 44 new and upgraded schools.
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Mrs Hancock said she is in a meeting with the Education Minister Sarah Mitchell today to finalise details of the site.
"It can't be announced yet, because we've still got some final details and to conclude negotiations. We're really close to that," she reassured.
"We've been working solidly for two years just to look at options for a particular site for the school. The department also had to look at school catchment areas and growth areas.
"It's been kind of frustrating for me because I know already there is huge growth in South Nowra, but everything has to be planned out. I'm very excited that it's actually in the budget."
Mrs Hancock expressed how needed a new school in South Nowra/Worrigee area is.
"It's a place where people want to live and clearly, there are many young families that need to send their kids to school. Other schools in the area are at full capacity," she said.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said this year's budget takes the school building pipeline to a record $7.9 billion investment with 215 new and upgraded schools.
"This historic school building program began in 2017 and since then, we have spent more than $7 billion on new and upgraded schools," she said.
"The additional funds in this Budget grow the pipeline to $7.9 billion worth of investment in new and upgraded schools over the next four years, making this a $15 billion school building program."
The NSW Government is investing $7.9 billion over the next four years, continuing its program to deliver 215 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW.
This is the largest investment in public education infrastructure in the history of NSW.
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