Hutley Drive Extension ProjectView the proposed design plans

Extension of Hutley Drive, Lennox Head

As urban development continues to expand within the Lennox Head area, Ballina Shire Council has been looking at various options to extend Hutley Drive to service current and future residential developments.

Residential estates such as Meadows Estate, and the Epiq Lennox Estate (currently under construction) use Hutley Drive as an access road. 

While residents in these areas use Hutley Drive to travel in and out of their estates, they currently do so via Silkwood Road and Henderson Lane to access the arterial roads such as North Creek Road, Byron Bay Road and The Coast Road.

Due to the level of growth in Lennox Head and the extra vehicular traffic in residential areas, Council’s traffic modelling has identified for many years that Hutley Drive should be extended in the north to The Coast Road/Byron Bay Road and in the south to North Creek Road.  

What are the benefits of extending Hutley Drive?

Council’s traffic modelling identifies that Hutley Drive must be extended to ensure vehicles can move more efficiently throughout this locality.

The northern extension of Hutley Drive will provide a safer connection to major roads, and reduce vehicle traffic in residential areas that are currently used to access arterial roads.  

Extending Hutley Drive will also improve access to the proposed shopping centre development in the Epiq Lennox Estate and the new sporting fields in this estate. 

What is proposed?

In February 2018, Council proposed three options to extend Hutley Drive north. Following this consultation option one was deemed the most cost effective and practical option. 

Byron Bay Road connection  In preparation for these works, Council purchased 9 Byron Bay Road. This purchase will allow Council to construct a link from Hutley Drive to Byron Bay Road by extending Hutley Drive to the north and connecting with a new roundabout on Byron Bay Road, north of the existing The Coast Road roundabout (illustrated over page).

Why option one over other options?

The second and third options originally proposed by Council included realigning North Creek Road and connecting Hutley Drive to the existing The Coast Road roundabout. 

Option one, being the extension of Hutley Drive and connecting with a new roundabout on Byron Bay Road was the preferred option because it:

negates the extensive cut and fill required for the North Creek Road alignment option negates the prohibitive cost to relocate essential services negates the need to realign North Creek Road  removes the need for significant land acquisition

Option one will deliver a safe access to The Coast Road in a more timely and a far more cost effective manner. 

Scope of works

This project will include the construction of:

new connection road (extension of Hutley Drive) new roundabout connecting Hutley Drive and Byron Bay Road sound barrier wall to reduce impact to local properties footpath signage safety barriers lighting Timeline

The next stage will be to undertake the appropriate assessment and seek approvals. Following this stage we anticipate construction works to be completed within the 2019/2020 financial year. This is an approximate timeline and is weather dependant. Local residents will be notified once a start date for these works has been confirmed. 

Resources Where to obtain more information?

For information about the Hutley Drive Extension project design telephone our Civil Services Group on 1300 864 444.

Last reviewed January 2019