Plans for a $120 million factory outlet centre at Kembla Grange are back on Wollongong City Council’s agenda.
Councillors will consider at Monday’s council meeting whether to back plans to rezone almost 19ha on Wyllie Rd to pave the way for a homemaker centre and factory outlet shopping.
The complex would provide 10,900sqm of leasable bulky goods retail floor space and 24,000sqm of leasable factory outlet retail floor space, as well as a 1200-space single level car park.
The State Government rejected the proposal in December 2009 because the site’s industrial zoning prohibited retail ventures, however the plans were resurrected when the company lodged a land rezoning application with the council 18 months ago.
A report to Monday’s meeting, prepared by council staff, recommends the rezoning again be rejected because any move to reclassify the land would be inconsistent with the council’s policies on city centres and employment lands.
Developer Grahame Boys yesterday said it was ‘‘do or die’’ time for the proposal, warning an adverse decision on Monday would sink the project.
‘‘It’s either in or out on Monday night. If the council says ‘no’, the whole deal is dead,’’ he said.
‘‘We have no avenue of appeal, so if the decision goes against us, the centre is dead in the water.’’
At stake, according to Mr Boys, is the opportunity to ensure hundreds of jobs for Illawarra residents and the injection of millions of dollars into the economy.
‘‘The reason this development evolved was to stem the massive leakage of expenditure from the Illawarra area to outlet centres in Sydney,’’ Mr Boys said.
‘‘Independent economic studies have shown there would be in excess of 800 people employed during construction and between 900 and 1000 jobs created on completion.
‘‘The majority of those [post-construction] jobs would target youth employment.’’
However, some councillors have raised concerns over the centre’s potential to undermine existing Illawarra shopping hubs.
Councillor Ann Martin said the council needed to support existing retail centres, which were already ‘‘struggling’’.
‘‘I love factory outlet shopping, but not at the expense of existing retail,’’ she said.
Mr Boys denied the centre would compete with shopping centres at Shellharbour, Warrawong or Wollongong.
‘‘It’s discount fashion, it’s out-of-stock, six-months-ago items,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s previous season’s products, so it’s not in competition with main streets.’’
Liberal councillors Michelle Blicavs and Bede Crasnich believe the chance to shore up new employment opportunities in the area is simply too good to ignore.
‘‘It will be a huge employer for young people, and that in itself is a critical factor,’’ Cr Blicavs said.
Cr Crasnich said councillors needed to acknowledge the decline of industry and manufacturing in Wollongong and the rise of the service industry.
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