A knock on the door at lunchtime on Monday left Maurice and Clare Butler reeling - the visitors were from the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and they came to tell the couple their farm was smack in the middle of the preferred route for Singleton's bypass.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Butlers received a letter signed by Joel Rosendahl, project development manager RMS saying their 34 acre irrigation farm will either be fully or partially acquired for the construction of the bypass.
They have lived on their property, located on the edge of Singleton, for the past 16 years and love the lifestyle being close to town on a highly productive farm in a flood free home.
A rare combination for our district. Since buying the property the couple of renovated their home and improved the farm.
They don’t want to move and are dismayed at the RMS decision to opt for the shortest route which will see the bypass leave the New England Highway at Newington Lane and head across the farms over the railway and then over Putty Road and the Hunter River following the rail line until Gowrie Gates .
Apart from their anger and disappointment that they may be forced to leave their farm they say the route is flood prone and will not improve driver safety along the highway.
“The two fatalities that occurred at Whittingham in the past 12 months could well occur again – this route does nothing to improve the highway in that area,” said Mr Butler.
“In 2007 the highway flooded at Whittingham and it could easily do so again.
“If they built the road up to get it out of flood reach then watch out for people’s homes and properties going underwater as a result. Its a bad plan. They should start the bypass away from the Whittingham flats”
Johnsen’s announcement page 3