EXCITEMENT about federal government funds committed to Tamworth's university campus has settled and reality has set in.
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Construction is still a long way off.
There's still no location locked in for the University of New England campus, despite a push from Tamworth Regional Council and state MP Kevin Anderson to put it at the old velodrome site near the city CBD.
A funding deed will have to be finalised and handed to the state government in November, but Tamworth University Reference Group chair Mitch Hanlon said that's where the real work starts.
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"You've still got to go and get the blueprints drawn up, you've still got to go and get it approved by council, because of the scale of the thing it will probably have to go through the Northern Regional Planning Panel," he said.
"So they're not going to start digging holes just before Christmas."
He also said it was a little frustrating to see people like New England MP Barnaby Joyce decrying that they just "get on with it".
He believes while red tape can prolong efforts, they're there to "stop dumb stuff from happening".
Mr Joyce told the Leader the federal government has done its part in committing the funds, and it is up to the state government to start the process.
Mr Anderson said even without a confirmed location the project is progressing well now the funds are locked in.
"We're getting much closer," he said.
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