The 20 September Meeting of Kiama Council will be asked to endorse the Kiama Town Centre DCP, after the original draft has been substantially revised following community consultation.

The Bugle is grateful to Dr Tony Gilmour, Kiama resident and urban planner, for using his expertise to provide the following analysis of the changes that have been made:

Who remembers the controversial Town Centre DCP? After what felt like an unseemly rush of a 28 day submission period closing March 2022, some six months later we now have the results. Well at least available for those reaching page 491 of the next council meeting agenda.

Local people were not happy with the March proposals [see our earlier story]. Higher buildings would destroy Kiama’s heritage village feel. One person feared our town might become ‘like Shellharbour, a concrete jungle’ - another thought we’d become the Gold Coast of the south. Of the 124 submissions, 104 supported keeping the existing height controls of 3 storeys (11 metres).

The listening council

Most people I spoke to thought the plans would not be changed, especially given the financial imperative of selling the Akuna Street site to keep council financially afloat. But something remarkable happened. Council planners heard the community’s voice. Proposals changed. Common sense (largely) prevailed.

Compared to some earlier planning processes, community feedback has been published in detail. This transparency is welcome, and good practice. And we even have access to a 3D model, which take a bit of practice to fly (wouldn't try on a phone), or pdfs showing the 3D form.

One of the views available in the 3D viewer, showing the height allowances across Hindmarsh Park

The blanket increase to 4 storeys building across the town centre - from Woollies and Blue Haven down Terralong Street, then along Manning Street to Barney Street - has been dropped. We will largely keep a 3 storey limit.

The earlier plans contained suggestions for some ‘special’ town centre sites to allow higher buildings. This pick-and-mix approach is continued in the revised proposals. So we might still be left with 4 storeys on Terralong Street between Thompson and Collins Streets - the block opposite the Leagues Club, between the 2 roundabouts. But perhaps this is sensible as there are already taller buildings in the area, and the land rises behind to reduce over-shadowing impacts.

Of the other ‘special’ sites, the ‘civic precinct’ behind the heritage town hall building will have no four storey buildings, though the back part near the rail line retains existing 5 storey provisions from the 2011 Local Environmental Plan. Proposals still allow the Leagues Club to relocate to the rear of their site, with new shops and restaurants facing Collins and Terralong Streets, but the height limit has been slashed from 4 to 3 storeys.

The 3D view of Manning Street, with the existing buildings (eg post office) shown in cream within the proposed height limits

A similar reduction to 3 storeys on the Terralong/Manning corner is also welcome.

Plans for Woollies (3 storey), Havilah Place (2 to 7 storeys) and Surf Life Club (3 storeys) remain unchanged in the September proposals.

A welcome change in the current plans is for new noise controls to be included, improving sound insulation between apartments, and between internal and external spaces. This was a point of contention often raised in submissions.

Akuna Street saga

So what of Akuna Street site, currently an under-used and unloved space behind Terralong Street?

This has always been the most controversial part of the planned changes, with initial proposals for 6 and 5 storey tower blocks, surrounded by mainly 4 storey buildings. Well, over to our councillors. The consultants have provided four options, to be voted on the 20th September.

Original Akuna St plan, with proposed height in circles

The preferred Option C

The professional advice to council is to adopt Option C. This is somewhat better than the March 2022 proposals, but not that much changed. One of the two 6 story towers goes, replaced by a wider 5 storey building. The Terralong Street frontage would only rise to 3 storeys, and there will be better set-backs of the upper levels of the buildings. Some neighbouring homes will still have their views partially blocked.

Tellingly, the consultants hint that only higher-rise options for Akuna Street make the project viable for developers and let them improve the public areas at the back of the site. This is said to rule-out Options A (3 storey) and B (mainly 3 and 4 storey, with one 6 storey block). Of course, we’ve not been shown the numbers to confirm this - no doubt commercial in confidence.

Brickbats or bouquets?

While there has been much controversy about height limits, remember the Town Centre DCP is a well drafted document that will better support high quality buildings in Kiama. And allowing greater height limits is no guarantee that higher buildings will be built, or the Leagues Club uprooted. Much of Terralong Street has remained 2 storey, even though 3 storeys are already allowed.

Council planners have largely taken onboard community feedback, been more open about the planning process, and chopped down many height increases. This bodes well for both current and future planning. Bouquets are in order.

Perhaps we’ll just have to live with high but better designed buildings at Akuna Street. This is all about dollars. Not just for the developer, but for council itself. And after discussing what we’ll do with the site for two decades, maybe finally we’ll have an agreed solution.