A proposal that would bring hundreds of homes to south Kiama has proceeded to the next stage, despite councillor objections.
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Although previously being rejected by Kiama council, the Southern Regional Planning Panel recently determined a planning proposal (PP) for a large residential development could be submitted for a Gateway determination.
Council previously received a request to prepare a planning proposal for the rezoning and amendment of development controls on land south of Saddleback Mountain Road, north of Weir Street and to the west of and immediately adjacent to the Princes Highway, Kiama.
The PP was prepared by developer White Constructions on behalf of the property owners.
The rezoning review request seeks to amend the Kiama LEP 2011 to rezone the land to permit the residential use of land.
The resulting development proposes 285 residential allotments, 140 small residential allotments and 30 townhouse sites.
The land, approximately 40ha in area, is former farmland.
The land is currently zoned RU2 Rural Landscape, along with pockets of E2 Environmental Conservation and E3 Environmental Management.
In March, council officers recommended that the PP proceed to the Department of Planning for Gateway Determination.
However, councillors did not endorse the Planning Proposal proceeding to Gateway at the time.
"The councillors thought that further studies needed to be done before we could approve it," Kiama Mayor Mark Honey said.
"The developer has then taken it to the Planning Panel, and the Planning Panel have approved it to go to Gateway."
Cr Honey said while the panel's decision wasn't unexpected, he expressed disappointment with council being over-ruled in this instance.
"Sometimes a development like this, while it ticks all the boxes, the councillors themselves... It would be nice if the council was able to have full control over all the development in the municipality," he said.
"This is so the local community actually has a say in what happens in their community over the next few years."
The site had been included in the 2011 Kiama Urban Strategy as being potentially suitable for residential development if additional housing supply is needed.
"The consensus is we don't need any further development, but the developer has every right to go in and say, 'previous councils have identified this site as further development, so why we can't do it now?"" Cr Honey said.
In its determination that the proposal proceed to a Gateway Determination, the panel noted that it "does not endorse the subdivision layout or lot yield submitted with this proposal".
The Planning Panel recommended that additional requirements be provided and considered as part of the Gateway Determination.
These included further urban design analysis; additional constraints analysis in terms of environmental, visual, landscape and heritage outcomes; and site specific Development Control Plan controls.
Brendan Crabb
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
