Toolijooa plan big as town

Joel Ritchie

KIAMA Council has been asked to assess a development application for a village that could house a population as big as Gerringong.

North Sydney-based Wygiren Pty Ltd has submitted an application with Kiama Council to build a village that will include 1040 manufactured cottages, retirement home, medical centre, small supermarket and recreation facilities.

Toolijooa Lifestyle Village, as the proposed development will be known, will cover 100ha on both sides of Toolijooa Road.

The DA is on public exhibition at Kiama Council until Tuesday, September 21.

Land earmarked for the proposed development is zoned Rural 1A in the Kiama LEP. Caravan parks are permitted under that zoning.

The application will be subject to a merit assessment by Kiama Council " including public comment " before a report is submitted to a council meeting.

"The application has got to be assessed, but I think there is some concern about the distance from town services and that there was no prior consultation with council," council general manager Michael Forsyth said.

"There will be a number of issues needed to be addressed as part of the assessment of the application."

The council has sent information about the DA to owners of adjoining properties and stakeholders such as the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, Department of Primary Industries, RailCorp and the RTA.

Toolijooa-Harley Hill Protection Group spokesman Steve Carr said the proposal was a "thinly disguised town".

"We couldn't fathom the extent of this application," Mr Carr said.

"People are walking around with glazed eyes and slack jaws.

"This village will have an unsuitable impact on the area and it would change the face on the entire community."

Mr Carr said he was also concerned about the development's potential impact on the environment and local infrastructure.

Wygiren spokesperson Bevan Lisle said 30 lifestyle villages throughout Queensland and NSW were visited before the DA was submitted.

The developer also had consulted environmental, social and demographic experts.

Homes in the development would range from $220,000 to $250,000.