Much needed additional funding for infrastructure projects central to the rebuild of Cobargo may be announced as early as this week, with the government's SmartyGrants portal now open to selected projects.
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The projects are around 30 per cent above what was budgeted when they applied for the funding in late 2020/early 2021 as part of the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Stage 2 funding.
John Walters, spokesperson for the Cobargo Community Development Corporation, has been heavily involved in the project to rebuild the town's CBD after it was destroyed by the 2019/20 bushfires.
"Through no fault of our own the circumstances that have led us to this shortfall are due entirely to the inflation pressures of the COVID environment and the global conflict," he said.
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The CBD rebuild project, initially approved for around $10 million of BLER funding, now needs close to $14 million for completion.
"Projects like ours which are very complex involving construction, labour and materials would be more exposed to cost escalation than many other projects," Mr Walters said.
When Tony Sheldon, the newly appointed federal Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery, visited Cobargo on August 30 Mr Walters told him they had applied to the NSW state government for additional funding but had been knocked back.
"However we are currently in negotiations with Regional NSW which handles the BLER fund and we understand that they are open to an opportunity to formally submit for additional funding.
"They were indicating by the end of the month," Mr Walters said.
Another competitive grant round?
Mr Walters doesn't know how much additional funding the state and federal governments have identified but "it isn't an open cheque book".
"It will be competitive so we are competing with other projects." he said.
Nevertheless, the Community Corporation is proceeding as though the project will go ahead.
Having lodged the DA in the first week of October, the group is working with NSW Public Works on a list of registered and qualified builders to run informal Expressions of Interest while architects and consultants work on detailed designs in preparation to go to tender when the DA is approved.
"We are getting a good hearing from the government at the moment.
"All the politicians are making the right noises and they are talking to us about the road map to this funding opportunity," Mr Walters said.
Mr Walters said he is hopeful of working with government.
"We are not backing off from our desire to get this project built, as planned, for Cobargo."
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