KRAG's urgent plea: Do better consultation on Gwynneville housing project before it’s too late

The ongoing debate over a big new housing project planned for Gwynneville is hotting up. The Keiraville Residents Action Group (KRAG) says it is being shut out of crucial planning discussions between Wollongong City Council and the NSW Government, and as a result the proposed urban infill site won’t adequately meet the future needs of the community or the city.

It was a letter from NSW Planning Minister Rose Jackson just before Christmas that sent alarm bells ringing amongst KRAG members. That letter said Homes NSW would negotiate a Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) with Wollongong City Council in early 2026.

The Illawarra Flame understands councillors were updated on that process during a confidential briefing immediately following its regular council meeting last Monday night.

KRAG claims the community is being left out of what will be crucial decision-making for the large suburban infill site to the south of the University of Wollongong where 1250 new homes will be created where 134 currently exist.

The planning proposal has been lodged with Council in an effort to increase densification to help ease the current housing crisis. Under the plans, medium to high density would be permitted with a mix of four- and six-storey buildings. The key concern from KRAG is that the planning is being done piecemeal, not holistically, and without ongoing community input.

In letters to the NSW Planning Minister, local state member Ryan Park, and Wollongong Council General Manager Greg Doyle, KRAG chairperson Geoff Kelly listed a number of “serious concerns” including a lack of consultation, lack of infrastructure planning and deficiencies in exhibited documentation, saying KRAG is seeking “fair treatment for existing tenants and private property owners”.

“KRAG supports appropriate and well-considered development, better local services, and more quality social housing that meets the needs of its community and residents after genuine consultation and consideration of their concerns and requirements,“ Geoff Kelly wrote.

“KRAG maintains that a holistic plan which includes infrastructure needs, developed in consultation with the community, is required prior to finalisation of VPA negotiations with WCC. Such a plan must address traffic and parking impacts, enhanced active transport links, public transport improvements, the provision of community facilities and services to meet resident needs, and address the concerns of residents directly affected by the renewal.”

KRAG members say the consultation process, for what will be the largest suburban infill project in the history of the Illawarra, has been flawed from the beginning. Their fear is that without meaningful engagement in the next few weeks it will be too late.

“We have raised this issue with Minister Jackson, as we believe the process to date has misled residents as to the access for comment or their participation in this important project,” KRAG’s Geoff Kelly said.

“The decision by Homes NSW and WCC to release finalised plans for public comment – rather than enabling community input during the planning process –leaves little scope for meaningful change and is inconsistent with NSW Government’s extensive community engagement guidelines for significant infrastructure projects.”

In its correspondence to the minister, local member and council, sent at the weekend, KRAG said it was seeking the urgent establishment of “a community consultation process involving key stakeholders to provide input into the finalisation of the planning proposal and its staged implementation. This request aligns with the recommendations of the Local Planning Panel.”

KRAG is also seeking the development of a holistic infrastructure plan involving the community.

Adding its voice to the concerns raised by KRAG, at its latest meeting, Neighbourhood Forum 5 – which advocates for residents in Wollongong‘s central suburbs – has also called for all parties to “initiate a community engagement program into the necessary infrastructure requirements before any Voluntary Planning Agreement is entered into.”