Council has allocated $236,000 for the site that is seen as a key part of the township’s future, with the proposed funding to go towards purchasing land for the next development stage.

Pyrenees Shire mayor Michael O’Connor said the estate had become an essential part of Beaufort.

“Correa Park is on the western edge of Beaufort and has been under development for about four years,” Cr O’Connor said

“Council has done all of the works and long-term, we’re looking at a 98-99 lot residential development.

“There’s probably 20 houses built on it (so far) and it’s important to the growth in Beaufort. 

“We’re finding that we’re getting a lot of young people are building in Correa Park and considering that we’re looking at being a bypass town (in reference to the Beaufort bypass, currently being investigated) it’s going to be a big part of the town.”

Two draft budgets have been prepared as council waits for the Essential Services Commission to decide if its application to be exempted from the planned 2.5 per cent rate cap will be approved.

It has applied for an additional 1.33 per cent variation on the planned cap, with Cr O’Connor confirming the only difference between the two draft budgets would be council’s expenditure on road maintenance.

Capital works expenditure is proposed to increase from $6.742 million in 2015-16 to $7.897 million in 2016-17.

The capital works program will be funded by $4.446 million in external grants, $50,000 from contributions, $511,000 from asset sales and the balance of $2.89 million from council rates.

Roads will be a key focus in the budget, while provisions have been made to fund works on several major projects, however, funding hinges on contributions from state and federal government level.

Projects requiring state or federal support include a $1,122,000 injection into the Lexton Community Facility, $248,000 to improve the Beaufort Caravan Park and $102,000 for an upgrade to the Beaufort pool.

“Those projects are entirely dependent on external grants,” Cr O’Connor said.

“While they are in the budget (in the capital works program), they won’t go ahead unless there’s investment at state level.”