Kiama Council’s hopes of selling land it owns on Glenbrook Drive at Spring Creek quickly have been dashed.

Asset sales, including Akuna St (which has not yet exchanged due to legal issues being raised), are a necessary part of Council’s Strategic Improvement Plan to improve its financial situation.

Other surplus land on Council’s divestment list requires more work, such as reclassification or the closing of surplus road reserves, but this land was virtually ready to go, if a covenant was lifted by the State Government.

However the NSW Government Minister for Regional Transport and Roads has informed Council that he has declined a request to lift a covenant rather than letting the fully serviced land be divided into five blocks and sold. The covenant limits the ability to build housing there until quarrying ceases.

The land, adjacent to Bombo Quarry and surrounded by other residential buildings, has been subject to the covenant since 1991.

Council is still waiting for the exchange in the sale of Akuna St

In a letter to Council from the Minister, the Hon. Sam Farraway said that, “as quarry operations are not scheduled to cease for a number of years… it is inappropriate to consider the release of the covenant at this time.”

In response, CEO Jane Stroud said, “Whilst we respect the decision of the State not to lift the covenant at this time, it is disappointing. When considered in terms of the national, state and local dialogue of housing shortages and accommodation crisis, and the context that the business could really use the revenue, it is hard to accept that five ready to market lots must continue to sit idle.

“Especially, when I can drive there today and see houses built much closer to the quarry without generating significant nuisance complaints.

“I understand that the covenant might have been needed 31 years ago, to protect quarry operations. But surely in the last three decades there have been many improvements in how the quarry is operated, such as to minimise noise and dust, that would enable housing to occur in proximity with little or no impact on operations.”