By Jess Baker
Plans for the redevelopment of the Warwick Saleyards have been revealed, following a decision by Southern Downs Regional Council to upgrade the site in late February.
Southern Downs councillors voted to progress a $7.5 million ‘enhancement’ of the existing saleyards at the council’s 24 February ordinary meeting.
At the time, specific details of the proposed upgrade works were unknown to the public.
A report tabled at the meeting stated the chosen option would consist of a “major upgrade at the existing site to resolve ongoing issues in relation to safety, traffic management, animal welfare and site amenity.”
Warwick and Stanthorpe Today last week asked the council’s chief executive officer Dave Burges and mayor Vic Pennisi for a progress update on the project.
Mr Burges said that the council had accepted one quotation for the design of the upgraded saleyards and quotations would close on Friday 4 June for the civil works component of the project.
“We will then work with those two consultants to come up with a costed design, and that will be done in time for the next major funding opportunity,” Mr Burges said.
The federal government flagged in its 2021-22 budget, delivered in May, that it would be expanding its $1 billion Building Better Regions Fund by a further $250 million for a six round.
At the time, Cr Pennisi told Warwick and Stanthorpe Today the redevelopment of the Warwick Saleyards was at the top of SDRC’s list of projects to put forward for funding under Round 6 of the program.
Mr Burges told Warwick and Stanthorpe Today last week that the timeline, and the project itself, is dependent on external funding.
“We’ve only committed to this project, if we get external funding, to 50 percent,” he said.
“So we will be ready to apply for major grant funding … We will be in a position to apply for that and throw our hat in the ring.”
SDRC’s “target maximum” cost for the project remains $7.5 million, but Mr Burges said a more definite estimate will become apparent in eight weeks’ time when both consultants have been appointed to complete their individual bodies of work.
He said the council envisages upgrading “some of the yards”, correcting all safety deficiencies at the site, developing a new internal road system to manage traffic, and building a carpark, a canteen and an ablution block.
He said upgrading facilities like watering, lighting, and roofing and installing a detention basin to pick up stormwater runoff at the site are also priorities for the council.
“That is what we’d like to achieve,” Mr Burges said.
“We’ll see how the design goes and where the costs start heading, and that will be refined in the coming two months.”
Mr Burges said if the council is successful in its application for funding under Round 6 of the Building Better Regions Fund, upgrade works at the saleyards site will likely be carried out in calendar years 2022 and 2023.
