The oldest surviving house in central Wollongong could be turned into a boutique cookery school and bed and breakfast, under a new plan being considered by Wollongong City Council.
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The owners of the heritage-listed Little Milton, on Smith Street, are proposing to construct a multi-use room at the rear of the site, as well as a bathing pavilion and spa.
They hope to demolish the existing laundry and refurbish the bathroom, reinstate the verandah around the original house, and change the use of the land to allow for operation of a bed and breakfast and a cookery school in addition to its existing residential use.
According to the plans, the landowners Jim and Deborah McCallum have an extensive history of restoration of historic buildings throughout the Illawarra, having previously undertaken extensive rehabilitation works at Ravensthorpe Cottage in Albion Park, 'Ruby's' Mount Kembla and the Stinson's Cottage at 310 Cordeaux Road, Mount Kembla.
They hope to restore Little Milton "to its former glory", and allow small numbers of people to appreciate the historic significance through its new uses.
The extra uses would also "help to fund the upkeep of the property, with costs to maintain a heritage property prohibitive to solely residential uses".
Having owned it for several years, the pair have undertaken "extensive restoration work" inside the cottage, which has been assessed by heritage consultants as being of a high quality.
The proposal is on exhibition through Wollongong City Council until February 12.