Plans to subdivide the Broadmeadow locomotive depot have been recommended for approval on the proviso a conservation management plan is prepared for the site.
Transport for NSW lodged plans on behalf of the Transport Asset Holding Entity (TAHE) in November 2022 to subdivide land at 35 Cameron Street around the Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot, behind Hunter School of the Performing Arts.
The plan would separate operational rail land from a 2.701 hectare parcel which Transport has "deemed surplus to operational needs".
The site contains a heritage-listed railway precinct and was once the second-biggest rail depot in NSW, but has been largely abandoned since 1994.
The Hunter Joint Regional Planning Panel, which is assessing the application, held a determination meeting on March 5.
Transport requested the matter be referred to the planning panel after City of Newcastle did not make a determination within the 70-day period prescribed by planning regulations.
The council slammed Transport for that escalation and expressed fear the transport entity's plans would compromise the Broadmeadow Place Strategy, which is being developed by City of Newcastle and the state government to plan thousands of homes, job opportunities and public spaces in the suburb.
But the Herald understands the Broadmeadow Place Strategy is now likely to be publicly exhibited in May and complete by the time any possible development application for the surplus land could be considered.
The subdivision process was slowed by the involvement of Heritage NSW, which recommended approval on the basis a conservation management plan for the railway locomotive depot and adjoining heritage sites was prepared and submitted.
Transport responded saying it "noted and accepted" the condition.
Heritage was one of the main issues raised in the 59 submissions when the plans were publicly exhibited, and also by community members who spoke at the planning panel determination meeting.
Transport for NSW's Scott MacArthur told the planning panel meeting that Transport would use "all of the historic resources that are available to us" in preparing the conservation management plan.
"We'll be visiting the site and we've already utilised the expertise of train volunteers on the site when we were there developing the SoEE (statement of environmental effects) for the DA for the subdivision," he said.
