A plan to build 110 new terrace apartment and low-rise flats at the vacant old Port Kembla Public School has failed to win the support of Wollongong council.
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This week most councillors voted to put off the proposal to rezone the 2.2 hectares adjacent to the former Port Kembla stack to allow medium density homes.
They cited concerns about contamination and gentrification, as well as the view that the operations of the port and other nearby industry could be compromised as reasons for the decision.
Councillor Vicki Curran led the charge to reject the “ludicrous” proposal, saying it made no sense to “spot rezone” the school, or allow housing so close the heavy industry.
She warned that a high-value housing zone would increase the cost of nearby industrial land, meaning smaller businesses would not be able to pay their rents, and also worried that “gentrification” would mean other industrial projects would not be able to be approved.
Greens councillors Jill Merrin also said the site was “troubling” and believed there should be a green buffer zone between industry and homes.
“This site is heavily contaminated,” she said, noting a report in 2013 had found coal wash, asbestos, chemicals like arsenic, copper, and zinc which exceeded safe limits.
“It’s a heavily polluted site, and people get sick with cancer because of this kind of pollution. I would be really disturbed to put residential on top of this land.”
“It should be remediated before we even take the first step.”
But Port Kembla resident Ann Martin spoke strongly in support of the housing plan, saying it was “the best site for significant residential in Port Kembla”.
She said the rezoning should be allowed as the land had, in the past, been zoned for housing, and said extra residents would boost existing businesses in Port Kembla, especially along the towns ailing main strip, Wentworth Street.
It would also provide much needed extra affordable homes in the area, she said, and could be remediated to ensure pollution was not a problem.
She urged councillors “not to sterilise that land”.
“It’s walking distance to three schools, the shops, the railway station, the beach and the pool,” she said.
“Residents of Port Kembla accept that we are living adjacent to industry, that’s why we’re there.”
“Wentworth Street is struggling, and more residential is the answer for Port Kembla.
“Unless we have more people living in that suburb, those shops will not be viable.”
After a long debate, all except Crs Colacino, Merrin and Dorahy – who argued for outright rejection – voted to defer any decision until a full Port Kembla precinct plan could be prepared.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
