It comes four weeks after council endorsed a mayoral minute that called for the access road to be isolated from the local road network, with access via Department of Health land off Wine Country Drive its preferred option, and an area via woodland at the rear of the cemetery and the closure of the Kerlew/Occident Street intersection as an alternate option (presented by the residents' group).

In a report to this Wednesday's council meeting, general manager Lotta Jackson says council held a meeting with the Department of Corrective Services on March 2, at which Corrective Services confirmed its intention to establish an access to the correctional centre via the southern end of Occident Street.

While the alternate option (via the rear of the cemetery) was discussed, Corrective Services stated that this is not an option for the access road.

The residents presented the alternate option at the February 19 meeting, as they feared access via Occident Street will create "rat-runs" through their neighbourhood, sparking safety fears for school children.

Residents' group spokesperson Karen Shearer said it was disappointing that using the wooded area to the rear of the cemetery, and blocking off the local road network to prison traffic, couldn't be negotiated with the State Government.

Councillors will have the choice to support, reject or amend the recommendation at Wednesday's meeting.

The three-year, 1000-bed expansion project at the correctional centre is nearly complete, with the final stage of the project - a 280-bed minimum security facility - due to be opened mid-year.