Kiama Council has voted to allow buildings to be constructed up to six-storeys high in some parts of the Kiama CBD on 22 November 2023.

The successful motion will see amendments made to the Kiama Local Environmental Plan 2011 to increase the maximum building height limit for specific sites in Terralong Street and Akuna Street.

The Akuna Street car park, which Kiama Council sold to developer Level 33 for $28 million in 2022, will be allowed to build to a maximum height of six storeys (21m) for 20 per cent of the build area, five storeys for a third of the area (17m) and the rest will remain at four storeys. 

Sections of the southern side of Terralong Street between Thomson Street and Collins Street (the block across from the Kiama Leagues Club) will increase the maximum building height from three storeys (11m) to four storeys (14m).

Meanwhile, the Centrepoint Shopping Mall will increase its maximum building height to four storeys, but only on the corner of the site while the rest of the site remains at three storeys.

Speaking against the motion, Councillor Karen Renkema-Lang said Councillors needed more accurate housing targets and a better understanding of how the changes would impact the entire Kiama LGA, not just the town centre.

“In order to understand the impact on services such as sewerage capacity, transport, roads and carparks and other social services, a realistic indication of demand and time scales across the entire LGA is needed. Without such information, Councillors aren’t fully informed of planning requirements,” Councillor Renkema-Lang stated.

She was also against the idea of allowing the height of the building across the road from the Memorial Arch in Hindmarsh would damage the visual amenity of the town.

Councillor Kathy Rice also spoke on the motion, saying she supported most of the changes suggested, but thought increasing the height limit to 21 metres was inappropriate for Kiama.

“My objection is only to the parts of this development plan of the town centre that have been slated for 21 metres. I think the 21 metres is inappropriate for Kiama and for that reason I continue not to be able to support this,” Councillor Rice stated.

Deputy Mayor Imogen Draisma said in support of the motion that even though some would like Kiama to never change, change is the only certainty.

“It is unfortunate that we cannot take the view that we want no change in our community, but unfortunately, we are not absolved of our responsibility to provide additional housing in the LGA and to make planning decisions which also include the provision of additional services and additional businesses for our town centre. 

“Although we might not like the idea of increasing these heights, it is required and within the context of our wider town centre, we are already seeing developments that are almost at the same time of those that have been proposed.”

Councillor Matt Brown also voiced his support for the motion, saying he’d recently spoken to locals who complained about how poor the buildings look on Terralong Street.

“[Locals] have been saying loud and clear that the town centre needs reinvigoration, it needs reinvestment, it needs a better look, a better feel and it needs better accommodation for residents and businesses, and that’s what this [motion] is trying to do and that’s why I encourage councillors to support it.

The motion was approved with votes from Mayor Neil Reilly, Deputy Mayor Imogen Draisma and Councillors Mark Croxford, Warren Steel and Matt Brown. It was voted against by Councillors Jodi Keast, Kathy Rice and Karen Renkema-Lang.