Hawkesbury City Council has guaranteed $2.9 million from the first year of its contentious Special Rate Variation for nine specific projects, with three long-neglected roads in Richmond, North Richmond and Wilberforce the biggest beneficiaries of the 2026/27 spend.
The works, branded “Hawkesbury Roads Revival”, will see $750,000 poured into March Street between Paget and Moray Streets, $640,000 into Crooked Lane from the concrete bridge to Slopes Road, and $386,140 into Coburg Road between Macquarie Road and Old Sackville Road. The remaining $1.12 million will cover resealing, resheeting, minor rehabilitation and footpath renewal across the local government area, plus new equipment at two parks.
The commitment, detailed in council’s 9 July operational plan, locks in the first tranche of revenue from an 8.66 per cent annual rate increase approved by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal in mid-2026. Over four years the cumulative rise will approach 40 per cent, and IPART has mandated every dollar be spent on infrastructure, overwhelmingly roads. The SRV is projected to deliver an extra $161 million in renewal funding by 2035/36, on top of the existing $68.8 million roads and drainage budget.
“Hawkesbury City Council has identified key projects that will benefit from the $2.9 million in capital raised from the first year of the Special Rate Variation,” the council said in a statement. “We are embarking on a roads-focused improvement program for the benefit of the whole Hawkesbury.”
Local MP Robyn Preston called the cumulative rate rise “unacceptable” in parliamentary speeches and on social media. Community groups on Facebook had already reacted with alarm earlier in the year when draft operational plans showed a $23 million cut to the roads budget before the SRV was finalised. Residents in groups like Oakville NSW Community have continued to question whether the promised road upgrades justify the higher cost of living.
The path to the rate rise began with widespread community consultation in which roads were identified as the number one priority by a significant margin. IPART ran its own engagement process before granting approval, and council has promised total transparency on how the money is used. Every project funded by the SRV will carry on-site “Hawkesbury Roads Revival” signage, and residents can track progress through the Your Hawkesbury Your Say website, Facebook and the council’s e-newsletter.
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Hawkesbury City Council
Local government authority responsible for the Hawkesbury region in north-western Sydney, managing roads, parks, rates and infrastructure for residents across suburbs including Richmond, Windsor and surrounding areas.
Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal
NSW independent regulator that assesses and approves special rate variation applications from councils, ensuring proposed rate increases are justified and funds are spent as promised on infrastructure.
Drivers should expect temporary disruptions as works begin on March Street, Crooked Lane and Coburg Road. Council’s forward program shows the SRV-funded works will expand each year, building a roads budget more substantial than any one-off grant programme could deliver. The full list of 2026/27 commitments is available in the council’s operational plan, and feedback on designs can be lodged through the Your Hawkesbury Your Say platform.
The guarantee is the first concrete step in a four-year ramp-up that council hopes will finally address the top concern local residents have been raising for years.