MORE houses, means more people, which means more demand on services.
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As Tamworth Regional Council ticks off new housing estates across the city, anxieties on how far the city's water, schools, hospitals and roads can stretch is also rising.
But, according to mayor Russell Webb, it's not council's responsibility to make sure those things keep up as housing developments get the green light.
Cr Webb said the organisation had "planned well" for the future, but when it comes to expanding services, that's up to someone else.
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"Hospitals, water, roads, educational facilities, are all responsibilities of other levels of government," he said.
"We need to advocate to the state government and the federal government for funding."
Alarm bells were raised about the strain on services when council approved a recommendation to rezone agricultural land on Manilla Road as the site for the new 895 dwelling Stratheden Estate.
At the meeting, deputy mayor Mark Rodda voted against the approval due to concerns about services not keeping up.
He said with a fully developed Stratheden and Arcadia, a housing estate promising more than 2000 dwellings in the city's south, water, roads, education and health services would be put under strain.
"There has been little support in the last 12 years for health and education resources despite our growing population," he said.
The focus should be on satisfying current residents with "good services, parks and gardens and roads".
Cr Webb said Stratheden isn't something that will be "built tomorrow", but during the next decade services will expand as more houses pop up.
Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson, who has just entered his fourth term in office, said he went into this year's election with a "strong plan for education, water and health".
He said a new Dungowan Dam, industrial water recycling facility, palliative care and mental health unit, and a school in Moore Creek would all help "support growth" into the future.
"The new Labor government cannot walk away from these commitments if they're serious about supporting the growth and economic development of our region," Mr Anderson said.
"We can't afford to go backwards."
Labor is yet to commit to building a new Dungowan Dam, and Mr Anderson is still on the hunt for funding after announcing his push for a new school more than a year ago.
Since the approval of both Arcadia and Stratheden, road rage has also erupted.
Last year Rodeo Drive residents were caught off-guard when plans for Arcadia revealed their quiet, dead end street would become a major through road for thousands of new residents.
Cr Rodda said he was worried about increased traffic on Manilla Road once people move into Stratheden.
"At certain times of that day that [Manilla] road has failed, and the intersections along that road have failed," he said.
But more traffic is just something residents will have to learn to live with, Cr Webb said.
He said even in the last 10 years, there has been a significant increase in traffic.
"Where ever you go in a growing centre, you'll see increases in traffic loads," he said.
"But it's about how we plan for the future and how we manage that to make sure it will be acceptable to the community of the future."
Master planning and transport strategies will be used to investigate new traffic routes to allow for "potential growth", Cr Webb said.
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