Those fighting the South Kiama rezoning decision will be heartened by a decision by the Planning Minister to conduct an independent review of the Department's recommendation.

The President of the Kiama Central Precinct Committee, Mark Greaves, Kiama Council Candidate, Mark Croxford, and the Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward, met with NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes this afternoon to discuss the decision of the NSW Department of Planning and Environment to recommend approval of the South Kiama Planning Proposal.

"The meeting was instigated by Mr Croxford who approached me to arrange the discussion," says Mr Ward.

"At the meeting, we presented community concerns with respect to the lack of strategic merit, lack of supporting infrastructure, inconsistency with local, regional and state planning documents, the current lack of a forward-looking local housing strategy and the impact of the planning proposal on the village character of Kiama.

"As a result of our joint advocacy, we successfully convinced the Minister to reconsider this proposal. Minister Stokes has agreed to an independent review of the Department’s recommendation."

Minister Stokes and Mr Ward will work on the Terms of Reference for the Independent Review.

"My thanks to both Mark Greaves and Mark Croxford for joining me for this important meeting with Minister Stokes," says Mr Ward.

"My thanks to the wider Kiama community for roundly condemning this inappropriate planning proposal."