Sixty people attended workshops organised by Kiama Central Precinct to discuss the Planning Proposal to rezone rural land between Weir St and Saddleback Mountain Road for housing (444 lots) and develop a detailed community response.

To help inform individual submissions, Central Precinct: Notes from the South Kiama Planning Proposal Workshop are now available in the news section The Bugle’s online Community pages.

“South Kiama is a huge development, and the consensus on the day was that the hurdles appear too big at this stage,” says Central Precinct Chair, Mark Greaves.

The major issues identified were traffic, schooling capacity, and the flooding, stormwater and sewage impacts.

“People weren’t impressed with just a one page report from Sydney Water, or the thought of 525 extra traffic movements by the High School each morning,” he says.

Kiama Council has granted a two week extension to its original deadline for submissions, with the closing date now 31 May.

“The Central Precinct will be putting in its own submission, which will go to our meeting for approval on 25 May, but we encourage anyone with a concern to lodge an individual submission with Council and Gareth Ward MP.

“The Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes, will make the ultimate decision on this matter, and the weight of public opinion will be critical,” says Mark.

The staff recommendation on the Proposal will go to the Council meeting in June to meet the Gateway timing requirements.

Enquiries to Central Precinct are welcome: [email protected] or 0418 811 833