Cathy Law
31 March 2021, 9:55 PM
An Extraordinary Meeting of Kiama Council is being held on 13 April with two items on the agenda: its Akuna Street holding and 85 Attunga Avenue (Residents unite to stop park sell-off).
A decision was made to discuss them separately at a special meeting to give councillors the time to focus on them, given the amount of items that will need to be considered at the April Ordinary Meeting the week later. In particular, this is the meeting that the draft budget for 2021/2 will be discussed.
“There won’t be a decision made on the disposal or any other major plan for our Akuna Street site at the meeting,” says Mayor Mark Honey.
“We will be reviewing the position we are in and what we have to do to go forward with it.
“It has been a goal for almost a decade – we just need to get some options on the table.”
The 4961 sqm site was consolidated through the purchase of the Weston’s site on Shoalhaven Street in 2012 and the Mitre 10 site, between Terralong and Akuna Streets, in 2015, at a total cost of over $7 million.
In 2016 Council sold the site to Wollongong developer Nick Daoud on the condition of it getting DA approval by a certain time.
When this didn’t happen, the sale fell through, although the Daouds subsequently obtained a DA for the site from the Regional Planning Panel. This DA is now owned by Council
It is understood the Daouds have presented Council with an amended vision for the site.
Kiama Heights residents are hoping their submissions against the first step in the sale of 85 Attunga Ave will sway councillors on the night.
The staff recommendation is not yet known.