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The independent Southern Regional Planning Panel has recommended in favour of the rezoning of Springside Hill, marking a major step forward for this project and the delivery of affordable housing in the region.

This is a great win for the many hundreds of locals who contribute to the life, character and economy of a town they love, but cannot afford to live here.

It gives hope to the hundreds of locals who have registered their interest to become future residents at Springside Hill. This decision means that Springside Hill will

progress to the next stage of assessment and we look forward to working through the decision and providing the additional information requested by the Planning Panel.

The independent Planning Panel was established to take the politics out of urban planning, so that decisions which impact the whole community are based on merit and need.

Kiama is the most unaffordable place in regional NSW to purchase a home and this decision to move forward with our proposal to build around 1,000 homes is a welcome one for key workers, locals, first home buyers and those who are struggling to find housing in the region.

Traders In Purple has been asked to consult with Government agencies and provide clarifications and further information, with no major changes required. This is a normal part of the planning process and a common occurrence at this stage of the rezoning.

The Council and community will still have a chance to comment on the proposal as is a standard requirement for planning proposals.

We have been extremely open and transparent in engaging with the community and we will continue to do this when appropriate.

To date there have been more than 400 individual conversations with locals to discuss the proposal, we have had more than 6,000 unique visitors to our website and held multiple community information drop-in sessions.

As we have always said, Springside Hill is a long-term legacy project for Traders In Purple and we are extremely excited to continue the journey. It is by no means job done, and we look forward to discussing our plans with the new Councillors.