Wollongong City Council has voted to follow up with the state government on its revitalisation plans for what Councillor Michelle Blicavs calls the "rundown Wollongong Harbour precinct".
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At Monday night's council meeting, Cr Blicavs put forward a notice of motion that asked the council to "make representations to the state government to immediately progress the revitalisation of Wollongong Harbour".
Wollongong Harbour is owned and managed by NSW Crown Lands.
"Crown Lands embarked upon a major development process some years ago for the whole harbour, but this was rejected by the community," Cr Blicavs' motion said.
"More recently, Crown Lands suggested a smaller project to provide some improvements to the harbour and existing buildings. However, this process has been stalled."
Cr Blicavs' motion pointed out that council had invested $25.1 million on the Blue Mile harbour precinct.
"Council's Blue Mile works in the harbour vicinity are due to be completed by June 2017," the motion said.
"The only gap is the harbour improvements."
At Monday night's meeting, Cr Blicavs said she understood the new plans from the government included work on the historic walls and on the docks but "this work has been stalled due to lack of funds".
"This is a cause for concern," Cr Blicavs said.
"We're going to have our part finished and there will be a rundown harbour precinct."
She hoped her motion would encourage the government to make it happen, and have it finished about the same time as the council's Blue Mile project.
Cr David Brown agreed. "Hopefully we can give the state government a gentle nudge," he said.
Vicki Curran expressed concern about the extent and nature of the "revitalisation" mentioned in Cr Blicavs' motion.
She was also concerned that the phrase "immediately progress the revitalisation of Wollongong Harbour" meant the council would be giving approval without really knowing the details of the work.
Greens Councillor George Takacs wasn't sure any work was needed on Wollongong Harbour.
"I go to Wollongong Harbour quite a bit," Cr Takacs said.
"I think it's a beautiful place as it is."
He also moved an amendment to Cr Blicavs' motion that rather than calling for the state government to get started on the work, that it should begin engagement with the community on revitalisation plans for the harbour.
A further amendment called for councillors to receive a briefing session on the nature of the planned revitalisation works.
With those amendments, the motion was passed by councillors.