What the council is working on
Recent deliveries, what's underway now, and what's planned next — drawn from the council's own plans, budgets and project pages. We report what the council has publicly said it's doing; every item links to its source.
The council's stated direction
Cessnock City Council's direction is set out in its Community Strategic Plan and a Delivery Program with an annual Operational Plan and budget, alongside a strong current focus on financial sustainability and on managing growth in the Coalfields and Hunter Valley wine country.
The council manages local roads, waste, libraries, parks, planning and tourism across a large, mostly rural Hunter Valley LGA of many small towns — Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, Weston, Branxton/Greta — plus the Pokolbin wine district. Its Delivery Program is the elected council's statement of commitment for its term.
The council has flagged long-term financial-sustainability pressures: it applied to IPART for a permanent special rate variation (a cumulative 39.9% increase) for 2026–27, which IPART did not approve in June 2026, leaving the standard 3.8% rate peg.
Underway now
Kurri Kurri Central Sports Precinct
Netball courts redevelopment due for completion early 2026; masterplan on exhibitionA redevelopment of the Kurri Kurri netball courts (state- and federally-funded, including new plexipave courts, lights, amenities, playground and cricket nets) is underway, alongside a draft Kurri Kurri Central Sports Precinct Masterplan to improve existing sports facilities and add informal recreation space.
Source: Together Cessnock — Kurri Kurri Central Sports Precinct Masterplan
Regrowth Kurri Kurri — former Hydro aluminium smelter site
Land rezoned Dec 2022; development controls adoptedThe former Hydro Kurri Kurri aluminium smelter site (closed 2014) was rezoned in December 2022 to allow employment, industrial and residential development. The council adopted a Development Control Plan chapter (E20 Regrowth Kurri Kurri) to guide the staged redevelopment; the adjacent Hunter Power Project (a Snowy Hydro gas-fired power station) is a separate NSW Government-approved project on part of the former smelter land.
Source: Together Cessnock — DCP Chapter E20 Regrowth Kurri Kurri
Planned / committed
Financial sustainability program & special rate variation
SRV sought for 2026–27; not approved by IPART (Jun 2026)Citing long-term financial-sustainability pressures, the council consulted on and applied to IPART for a permanent special rate variation (a cumulative 39.9% increase) for 2026–27. IPART did not approve the application in June 2026, so the standard 3.8% rate peg applies; the council continues to publish its financial-sustainability work.