Hilltops Council has been told to investigate opportunities for a transport and logistics hub but not a service centre in the shire.
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The proposal is part of the Shire's new Freight and Transport Study put together by consultancy group PSA Consultancy and was also identified as part of the Hilltops Council Economic Action Plan.
The plan is currently on exhibition, with council seeking public comment.
The consultants said a service centre could take away from already established businesses in the shire and noted "it is understood that a service centre is proposed at Wallendbeen which will have a catchment that covers most of the Hilltops region".
They added that annual average daily traffic in Hilltops would have to increase for a service centre to be viable.
"With the investment required to support a service centre of a scale that would be feasibly operated in Hilltops significantly higher annual average daily traffic would be required," the consultants said.
"Additionally, the spacing of townships and villages throughout Hilltops means that any service centre would be located within the catchment of existing businesses in those towns and villages and may have adverse economic impacts on the towns themselves.
"As a result, this Report has focused on developing criteria and investigating potential locations for a transport and logistics hub in the future which can ultimately support an improved supply chain for local businesses," they added.
In the local context of Hilltops, with the importance of efficient freight movements, PSA considered that a transport and logistics hub could be beneficial and support an improved supply chain if delivered in partnership with the industry.
Possible locations for the hub were:
- The Lachlan Valley Way, Boorowa
- The corner of Burley Griffin Way and Cunningar Road, Cunningar
- Crescent Street, Galong
- Saleyards Road, Harden
- Milvale Road, Milvale
- Corner of Burley Griffin Way and Wombat Road, Murrumburrah
- Henry Lawson Way, Young and;
- Milvale Road, Burrangong
The preliminary assessment found that locations with access to road and rail transport networks located in the central to southern part of the Shire performed more strongly than those with only road access and those close to the boundaries of the Shire.
As a result the locations at Cunningar, Harden and Murrumburrah performed well.
Other locations that performed well were located in proximity to Young with good access to the Olympic Highway.
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