City of Newcastle says it will spend a record $116 million on capital works next financial year, including $14.2 million on CBD and suburban town centre renewals.
The council announced the spending in a media release on Thursday, though councillors will not vote on the city's 2020-21 budget until Tuesday night.
A council spokesperson said the capital works program included $34 million for projects added since the budget was placed on public exhibition in March.
The extra spending was in response to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the Newcastle economy.
The works program includes $22.9 million for road and footpath upgrades; $9 million on an organics facility to compost food and green waste; $14.2 million for upgrades in the Hunter Street Mall, Wallsend, Kotara, Merewether, Shortland and Stockton; $8.2 million for parks, playgrounds, sporting and aquatic facilities; $5 million on cycleways; and $5 million to implement the council's climate action plan.
