Neighbourhood Forum 1 Report for August

Planning Proposal – 20 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Stanwell Tops

Council has referred a “revised” Planning Proposal to NSW Department of Planning for a Gateway determination for Miniature Railway and heritage curtilage of the house Undola, Nissen hut and surrounds. This is a greatly changed proposal to the planning proposal Council rejected in 2023. If a Gateway determination is granted, then Council will exhibit the proposal.

Existing War Memorial Hall 

NF1 has written to Maryanne Stuart, Member for Heathcote, detailing community concerns arising from the proposed demolition of the existing Community Centre/Memorial Hall and the proposed new Library and Community Rooms building. NF1 is requesting a mediated meeting with WCC. At press time, there had been no response from the Lord Mayor or General Manager regarding a meeting. 

NF1’s 25-page letter and report has taken volunteers many hundreds of hours to prepare, comparing all the documents obtained from the GIPA (Freedom of Information) applications, now available on the 2508Collaborate.info website. 

These documents have exposed what WCC has or has not done to address water issues, created by WCC, causing the mould issue impacting on the existing hall. Solutions stated in outside experts’ reports commissioned by Council were ignored for a cheap solution: to demolish the building. 

Proposed New Helensburgh Library and Community Centre Building

After years of NF1 requesting a scope for the new building, in February 2026 WCC convened a “presentation” on the proposed new Helensburgh Library and Community Rooms building at Tradies. This was managed by Council’s Manager of Libraries and Community Facilities (with General Manager Greg Doyle in the audience). Council has told NF1 what we are going to get and not engaged in a collaborative plan for what the community needs now and in the future. This has been NF1’s goal since 2017, when Council started looking at a replacement for the demountable building containing the district’s library, which has serviced a radius of over 15km for more than 45 years. 

At the July meeting of NF1, a councillor confirmed that councillors had not seen any alternatives to the single three-storey building proposal presented in February. NF1 had offered a number of proposals to council developed by NF1 members. A single-storey building would greatly reduce construction and running costs (less air-conditioning maintenance/running costs, no lift maintenance/running costs, more light via skylights). One alternative created by respected Sydney architect Lippmann Partners includes parking for more than 50 cars.

Now a question has been raised: has WCC contravened the Local Government or Crown Lands Acts in their neglect of the existing Memorial Hall and inefficient use of rate payers’ funds in the proposed new building costs and projected maintenance costs.

NF1 next meets in Helensburgh Community Rooms at 7pm on Wednesday, August 12