Revitalising Newcastle has released the latest 3D animations of how Newcastle’s city centre will look in 2019, including widened footpaths, more open public spaces and Australia’s first wire-free light rail.

The designs give the most detailed view to date of how Newcastle will look once construction in the CBD is complete, using technical data to form visualisations of Newcastle Interchange, Civic, and Pacific Park.

Revitalising Newcastle Program Director, Michael Cassel said the images and animations would give Novocastrians confidence that Hunter Street has an exciting and vibrant future.

“With construction underway along the light rail route, these designs give us a powerful reminder of the end goal; a vibrant, pedestrian friendly, attractive Newcastle city centre with connections to the coast, CBD and harbour,” Michael said.

“Our animations draw directly from the project design, transforming technical information into a lifelike representation of how the city will look once light rail is operating.

“The community and council told us they wanted Newcastle to be about people and look great when finished, which meant no wires above the light rail and better public spaces.

“Our light rail vehicles will have an on-board energy storage system which is charged at each stop, saving the need for overhead wires running through the city.

“Being wire-free also improves Newcastle Light Rail’s sustainability rating and reduces its energy requirement through regenerative braking, which means when the light rail vehicles slow down, energy is put back into storage.

“We’re also providing wider footpaths and urban amenity improvements, allowing for increased foot traffic through a beautified city centre, intersection upgrades to support traffic flow, and new green spaces for the community to enjoy.

“Newcastle is on the cusp of realising the benefits of a major, transformative investment in the city. These designs are another reminder of how close we are to seeing these changes come to fruition.”

Michael said the opportunity to view the city under construction should not be missed and that Newcastle was still open for business.

“While I won’t pretend construction work isn’t disruptive, the city is accessible by car, bus, rail, by bike and on foot. What’s more, the hard-working businesspeople of the city are ready to serve you,” Michael said.

“There is still plenty of parking, including more than 4,000 off street car parks just a short walk from businesses on Hunter and Scott streets.

“New two-hour parking spaces have been created close to shops, direct bus routes have just been implemented, and taking a train to Newcastle interchange can also connect you with a frequent loop bus service of the CBD.

“Come enjoy a walk along the foreshore and Hunter Street, see Newcastle undergo this major transformation, and support local businesses.”

IMAGE | 3D animations showing how Newcastle’s city centre will look in 2019.