Moves are underway to try and develop the old cokeworks at Coalcliff, almost four years after cokemaking ceased.
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The owner met with some Coalcliff residents on site about four weeks ago to discuss the former industrial plant, which sits high in the escarpment above the seaside village.
No plan has been decided upon but housing development is clearly an option as the Illawarra Coke Company seeks to find a profitable future for the site after 99 years of cokemaking.
Illawarra Coke Company director Kate Strahorn told the Mercury various expert reports have been performed to assess the extent of contamination across the 118 hectare site.
“We are currently carrying out detailed investigations of the property to better understand the future potential of the site,” Ms Strahorn said.
Coalcliff Community Assocation president Pat Goodchild said he was not initially invited to the meeting, and had to find out incidentally from someone else.
His opinion was that the site was not appropriate for housing.
“I don’t agree that there should be any housing in the escarpment, no matter who it’s for, where it is, under any circumstances,” he said.
I don’t agree that there should be any housing in the escarpment, no matter who it’s for.
- Pat Goodchild
He said there was talk at the meeting of 30-50 houses.
“All I know is that the owner has stated … they intend to build houses. As to what scale, no-one knows until they come back,” he said.
It had been speculated that the level of contamination could prohibit housing, and development so deep in the Illawarra Escarpment is likely to raise opposition.
But Ms Strahorn said the reports had been “encouraging” that rehabilitation costs would not be extreme.
“At this stage we’ve got good reports,” she said.
“There’s definitely no talk of numbers (of houses).
“Really that day that we held was about sharing ideas, and most importantly listening to residents.”
She said they had not yet called for expressions of interest for development.
The issue will be considered by the Ward 1 neighbourhood forum, convenor Warwick Erwin said.
“It is great to see the owners of the cokeworks and colliery site want community input in to the future of the site,” he said.
“Here is a historical site both in the coal-coke industries and the local communities.
“With some of the southern part of the site zoned E2 – environmentally protected – opportunities exist for community uses, historical walks and even extension of existing tracks.”
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