Homes versus height – it’s essential we get the balance right
From the Lord Mayor's Office: We hear our community’s concerns about parking and traffic, we want to protect sightlines to the escarpment, and to ensure there are amenities to cater for those living there
If there’s one conversation I’m having consistently with people right across our Local Government Area right now, it’s housing.
Wollongong’s residents are concerned about the size, scale and any potential impact on amenity of new housing proposal whether that be the Gwynneville precinct renewal, developments along Flinders Street in North Wollongong or simply dual occupancies in our suburbs.
There is no question that, as a community, we need diverse housing types to cater for our residents now and into the future.
How housing should look will vary right across our city centre and our suburbs.
As Council has long said, it’s about the right types of housing in the right spaces.
Through our Urban Design Framework, Council has developed clear guidelines as to the types of housing developments we’re open to within Wollongong, and where these developments might be considered.
Council, and I, share our community’s concerns around the scale and height of some proposed developments in the heart of Wollongong. We hear our community’s concerns about parking and traffic, we want to protect sightlines to the escarpment, and to ensure there are amenities to cater for those living there.
This is why greenspaces like Lang Park, Stuart Park and MacCabe Park are essential – they’ll be vital for recreation, social connection and relaxation for everyone who lives in Wollongong.
Recently, Council ticked off a decades-long plan to purchase all the properties bordering MacCabe Park, and we are getting ready to go to tender on a long awaited new skatepark for the CBD.
Once built, the regional-scale facility will be about 1500sqm and take up less than 3 per cent of the greenspace’s total land area. Getting to this milestone is huge for our community.
Read more in Council notching key milestones in Plan for MacCabe Park
The decision to build a skatepark in Wollongong was made before I joined Council in 2017. It’s a key component to the evolution of the park, which also includes the development of a Masterplan which we will be seeking community input into. It’s fantastic to see the recent conversations about the importance of protecting this space in the city and ensuring that it offers recreational opportunities for our whole community.
Right now, there are a couple of key opportunities for people to use their voices to influence the city’s future.
The NSW Government recently released the draft of the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Plan.
The draft 20-year-plan guides the region’s long-term direction for homes, jobs and infrastructure investment.
The NSW Government is looking to hear residents’ feedback on this Plan (through the NSW Planning Illawarra Shoalhaven Plan webpage), just as Council is also exhibiting the two draft planning documents for the future redevelopment of the Gwynneville precinct through our website.
If you’re interested in Wollongong’s future, and have views on housing and development, then I encourage you to provide your feedback on both of these key documents.
This is essential to getting your voices heard and so that the opinions of those who live, work and play in Wollongong have a say in its future.
