Chamber hosts SAP Zoom meeting

Narrabri Chamber of Commerce recently facilitated a Zoom meeting between representatives from the NSW Department of Planning and residents to discuss the town’s Special Activation Precinct.

Chamber president Russell Stewart said the remote meeting was organised for business owners and locals who couldn’t attend the in-person community engagement sessions held earlier this year.

About 25 people from the Narrabri region joined the Zoom meeting to hear from the Planning NSW SAP team members, and residents were given the opportunity to ask representatives questions.

Narrabri was announced as a Special Activation Precinct in November 2020.

A SAP is a dedicated area in a regional location identified by the NSW government to become a thriving business hub, bringing together planning and investment to create jobs and boost economic growth in dedicated regional locations across the state.

The department said the precinct will bring further economic growth to the region by leveraging the Inland Rail and the Northern NSW Inland Port, providing direct access to global and international markets.

Attendees were invited to give feedback on options for the Narrabri SAP location during the Zoom meeting, although NSW DPE representatives didn’t want to commit to or publicly release the four draft plans being proposed because planning is very much in its infancy stages and it’s possible the final choice might end up being a combination of the scenarios currently being discussed.

One of the biggest concerns raised by attendees was the need for Planning NSW to consider potential flood risks to the town.

Local engineer and member of Narrabri Shire Council’s floodplain risk management committee Jim Purcell urged NSW DPE representatives to read flood studies that have been undertaken in Narrabri.

“The biggest problem Narrabri has in terms of flooding is actually getting people out of houses,” said Mr Purcell.

Mr Purcell also asked the SAP team members if they were aware that an alternative route for the Inland Rail project had been put forward.

“Yes, we are aware … at this point in time we are using the route given to us by Inland Rail,” a representative responded.

“If it did change, we would obviously adapt.”

Mr Russell said the chamber had a strong relationship with the SAP team and would continue to facilitate community engagement sessions as planning progressed from these early stages.