Concept plans for the long talked about Shaolin Temple proposal have been lodged with the Planning Assessment Commission.
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The $360 million proposal includes a Shaolin Temple complex, a four star 500-bed hotel, Kung Fu academy, educational facility, retail shopping and community centre, golf course and 300 residential lots for the Falls Creek area.
Shoalhaven Mayor, Joanna Gash welcomed the lodgement of plans and said she was “pleased to see the project finally moving forward”.
The concept plans will be determined by the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) allowing the Shaolin Foundation to proceed with its subsequent project applications.
These would be lodged with Shoalhaven City Council for assessment and determination at a later date.
The Department of Planning has completed an assessment report and made recommendations to the PAC.
“As I have said on numerous occasions, the Shaolin complex will provide the Shoalhaven with an extremely unique facility and tourist attraction,” Cr Gash said.
“Initial forecasts show that the complex will attract upwards of 300,000 overseas visitors and many more domestic visitors per year.”
She said construction of the facility would create about 750 jobs with a further 900 in regional supply industries.
“The operational benefits would also include $132 million in regional turnover, 670 ongoing jobs and an additional $31 million in local wages each year,” she said.
But questions over how much money the proposed development would bring to the region were raised by one of the Shaolin’s own reports.
A report in response to Environmental Assessment Submissions by consultants for the proposed development described it as a gated community.
In the report the consultants said the residential component would attract predominantly Chinese nationals wishing to live in a precinct with an Asian culture, or Australian Chinese-Australian retirees seeking
a retirement opportunity in a gated community.
Residents are not likely to have work commitments in Nowra or the surrounding area the report said.
The report assumed that 50 per cent of shop owners in the complex would probably be Chinese and would live in the development.
The number of retail staff was estimated to be 100 in stage one and 400 in the ultimate development.
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