A plan to turn a Port Kembla bakery into a drop-in community centre for those in need has been met with concern from business owners and residents, who say the move doesn't fit with the suburb's revitalisation plan.
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A development application (DA) has been lodged with Wollongong City Council to alter the use of the commercial building at 27-29 Wentworth Street, formerly home to Mac's Tasty Pies, so it can become a BaptistCare-run community centre.
Under the proposal, BaptistCare's Darcy House - which offers a range of services, including counselling and meals for the homeless and "significantly marginalised" - would shift to Wentworth Street from its current home on nearby Darcy Road.
Darcy House has operated in Port Kembla for 11 years and has been run by BaptistCare for nine years.
The application, prepared by Metris Urban Planning, said Darcy House "operates in a challenging socio-economic area, with many people experiencing extreme disadvantage and stigma from the wider community".
"BaptistCare seeks to continue its service to the community of Port Kembla by using the subject site as a community facility," it said.
"We provide a drop-in centre where people in need can come for breakfast and lunch, friendship, a shower, or perhaps a place to wash their clothes. Some specialist services attend our site to help our clients. We advocate for individuals and refer them to specialist services."
However, nearby business owners have aired concerns the facility's relocation does not align with the 2505 revitalisation plan.
The document - endorsed by the council in May - was a 25-year vision for the suburb's future, which included activating vacant shopfronts.
"It was all about getting a lot of those shopfronts opened up and retail stores on the street, and opening up this business would definitely not attract any more businesses," Tracey Tolson, the owner of Zest Fitness, said.
Ms Tolson was not opposed to the services offered by Darcy House, but said they were a better fit in its current location.
"It [the proposed new home] is right on the main street, my business is directly opposite. I train a lot of women, children as well are coming in and out of my facility, and just the kind of people it's going to attract is not really ideal for my business," she said.
A resident, who wanted to only be known as Caroline, said many people had been caught off-guard.
"We're all for the Darcy House service, it's been a brilliant service, but we're kind of surprised that we didn't get advised that the plan was to bring it up onto Wentworth Street," she said.
"[We] feel it's a bit of a contradiction to the 2505 revitalisation plan."
The DA said the proposed use "achieved the intention and objectives" of the revitalisation plan and "would be suitable to its environment".
A number of associated works would be undertaken at the site, including internal fit-out and refurbishment works, an outdoor deck with privacy screen at the rear of the site, a new 1.8m-high metal fence at the back gate, and new signage.
The drop-in centre would open from 9am to 5pm, and be run by a team of one full-time employee and six casuals (including a chaplain, cook and case workers). Up to five volunteers would assist at any one time.
The DA is on display until Wednesday.