John Holland JV Lands $1.6bn Sydney Metro Tunnel Contract

A contract for the $1.63 billion final stage of tunnelling for the Sydney Metro West project has been awarded to a joint venture, with the project to connect Parramatta with the CBD set to get under way next year.

John Holland, CPB Contractors and Ghella have been awarded the Eastern Tunnelling contract to deliver 3.5km of metro rail tunnels between The Bays and the Sydney CBD. 

Approval for this section was secured in September 2022 and Environmental Impact Statements for the station developments at Sydney Olympic Park and Parramatta are on exhibition until December 13.

The contract includes a tunnel-boring machine launch site at The Bays, as well as excavation and civil works for two new stations at Pyrmont and Hunter Street. 

The underground railway will create more than 10,000 direct new jobs, and connect Parramatta, which is already seeing an influx of growth and investment.

The suburb has notched major residential developments at Wentworth Point by City Freehold Projects and Japanese-backed developer Sekisui House, as well as a build-to-rent project from Urban Property Group in recent months.

Preparations for tunnelling will begin in 2023, and passenger services on Sydney Metro West will start in 2030, linking Parramatta to the Sydney CBD in 20 minutes.