Last night’s meeting of Kiama Council gave councillors the opportunity to voice their dissatisfaction with the Government’s decision to rezone agricultural land at South Kiama to residential [Minister approves South Kiama].

Despite the land, to the west of the Highway between Weir St and Saddleback Mountain Road, having already been formally rezoned through an amendment to the Local Environment Plan, councillors want to continue the fight.

They unanimously passed a motion for the Mayor and CEO to write to the Minister for Planning & Homes to overturn the decision, and to seek the advocacy of the Premier for this to happen. It is unclear what process or legal action would allow this, now that the rezoning has been gazetted.

The developer, Graham Morcom of White Constructions, exercised his options to buy the land involved earlier this year.

Councillor Karen Renkema-Lang moved the motion, which detailed a number of concerns, saying that the independent review took scant notice of opposition to the development and failed to acknowledge the high value the community places on the land.

Councillor Imogen Draisma said, “I think the independent review was lacking in several areas.

“This is a cart before the horse proposal [in terms of intrastructure] and Council will continue to stand strongly against it.

“We call on the Minister and the Premier to be sensible about the development.”

Councillor Jodie Keast said, “Planning has been taken out of our hands and decided by the Liberal State Government. The decision has been made prior to the finalisation of our Housing Strategy and the State significant agricultural maps. More shockingly this approval of this planning proposal has ignored not only council decisions but that of our residents and community groups.”

Councillor Mark Croxford, who arranged a private meeting between the then Minister for Planning Rob Stokes, Gareth Ward and Mark Greaves of the Kiama Central Precinct that resulted in the independent review, expressed his disappointment that their expectation of hearing from the Minister on the matter has still not been met.

“The undertaking that was given to us was that the determination would be made by the Minister. I am attempting to uphold the Minister to the commitment made by his predecessor,” he said.

Mayor Neil Reilly pointed out the notifying letter referred to the Kiama Urban Strategy, a document never endorsed by the State Government.

“The document the State Government have used with regard to the site specific merit is a document that a) they themselves never approved, and b) which is now absolutely redundant and replaced by the LSPS.”  

Before a DA can be lodged for the new subdivision, Council will need to prepare a site specific DCP for the area which the Department can be used to address concerns.