NEWCASTLE council staff and the elected council continue to be at loggerheads over a management plan for Wallsend's flood plain.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The main street was devastated and 30 businesses were hard-hit when floodwaters inundated Wallsend during the 2007 Pasha Bulker storm.
At Tuesday night's meeting councillors voted in favour of replacing the Tyrrell Street bridge, against council staff recommendations.
A report presented to councillors recommended Tyrrell Street bridge be removed, and funding for the renewal or upgrade of the Boscawen Street and Nelson Street bridges be sought from the state government.
However, councillors voted to start planning for the replacement of the Tyrrell Street bridge instead, in addition to seeking more funding.
Councillor Jason Dunn said removal of the bridge would create traffic issues. He said Wallsend deserved more than "it's a better than nothing" approach.
"This council can find money for more interesting projects . . . but we are not talking about redecorating a pool . . . we are talking about people's lives," he said.
"We've been treading water for eight years and enough is enough."
The move has thrown a spanner into council's budget, with no funds allocated for Wallsend flooding in the next financial year.
Council staff estimated that planning and design for the removal of the bridge would cost about $50,000 and could be worked in to the next quarterly budget review.
However, a spokesperson for the council said the cost of planning and design for a replacement bridge would be more than removing a bridge, and an accurate estimate was not available at this time.