The long anticipated draft Kiama Town Centre Development Control Plan (DCP), which is on public exhibition until 28 March, includes a proposal to raise the height limit in a large part of the CBD from three storeys (11m) to four storeys (13.5m).

Council’s Manager Strategic Planning, Ed Patterson, says he was surprised when this increase in height controls was suggested during consultations about the draft with a broad community reference group late last year.

“We went to those consultations proposing height controls were maintained at the status quo,” he says.

“However in talking through the key sites and the corner buildings, they [the reference group] considered that a height increase would be appropriate, particularly if recessed back.

“In order to achieve good outcomes, an increase in height may be appropriate.”

Until now, there has been little guidance on what the community wants to see built in the area.

“When developers come to planning consultants and say what does the community want in the town centre, they don’t have a clear answer to give,” says Mr Patterson.

“It is more of a DA check list, with no real controls – which makes the assessing officer’s job really difficult.”

Illustrations like these are used to explain the various design elements

The draft DCP is the result of a process that began in 2018 with consultants developing a Town Centre Study in consultation with the community, and then a Traffic & Parking Study being conducted to test its recommendations.

“We’ve had workshops and briefings with a lot of people over that time,” says Mr Patterson.

“This is the culminating exhibition process.”

Rather than a dry document, the draft DCP is filled with diagrams, pictures and illustrations to give a real feel for what is desired, including a coastal tone and respect for our heritage.

Sample colour palette

“We want it to clearly flag that this is the type of development we want in the town centre,” says Mr Patterson.

“It is pulling on those things that make Kiama, Kiama.

“We want developments that are of high quality and provide a good outcome for the community.”

With this in mind, within the draft there are seven site-specific DCPs, which give more detail on what is wanted for these strategic sites:

• Akuna Street
• Civic Precinct (Council Admin site)
• Kiama Leagues Club
• Kiama Village Shopping Centre
• Havilah Place
• Kiama SLSC
• Commonwealth Bank.

For example, the DCP for the Akuna Street site (which Council is in the process of selling) includes a public square, the desire for a laneway between the back of the Terralong St shops and the development, separate buildings of differing heights (up to six storeys), the retaining of significant trees and more.

Council’s site on the south of Akuna St is also included, with two buildings of three and four storeys.

“A lot of those elements were brought through in workshops which were held with councillors,” says Mr Patterson.

There is no clear control or objective in the DCP for the site to provide a second supermarket.

Council's Director Environmental Planning, Jessica Rippon, and Manager Strategic Planning, Ed Patterson

Mr Patterson says the Kiama Leagues Club site is the one that has changed the most from what was originally envisaged in the Town Centre Study.

“Originally it was almost just carparking, but now it is more about how the site can be used given its size and corner prominence.”

Its site-specific DCP envisages increasing the height allowance for the current club, as well as for around half of its current carpark, to four storeys.

“The Town Centre DCP is around shaping what the town centre is going to look like into the future,” says Council’s Director Environmental Planning, Jessica Rippon.

“A lot of the emphasis is around activation – bringing some life into the town centre.

“This is the time when we want community feedback, as it will set the agenda of how the town centre will be shaped, rather than waiting until a DA is lodged on a site [that is based on the guidance of the DCP].” 

The Heritage review, which has also been put on exhibition, also has an interplay with parts of the Town Centre DCP.

Both are on exhibition until 28 March. More about Heritage recommendations in a forthcoming article.

An Open Briefing on the Town Centre DCP and Heritage DCP chapters will be held on 3 March at 3:30pm, at the Council Chambers.