Developer Sealark is finally preparing to move ahead on its 400-home community, shopping and industrial plans on the NSW South Coast after a decade-long campaign to win approval.
The first set of plans for the West Culburra community were filed in 2010 and transitioned to a state significant development application in 2015.
However, the Independent Planning Commission refused the plans in 2018. They were then taken to the Land and Environment Court and received approval in 2021.
Now, as the developer prepares to file plans for the first stage of the project, some in the community are again raising concerns about the 47ha development, which is about 200km south of Sydney.
Sealark managing director, land and development, Matt Philpott says it is a project more than 15 years in the making that benefits the region.
“It’s an exciting time as we move closer to the lodgement of the development for the first stage, which we anticipate doing later this year,” Philpott says.
“The housing shortage in Shoalhaven is entrenched and the need to create more homes for people, including affordable homes across the region, is critical.
“While this development is a small component of the much broader housing supply and affordability solution needed in the region, there’s a lot of anticipation among the community, businesses and business groups, as well as community housing providers, for us to get under way.”
Stage 1 of the West Culburra development will be filed with the Shoalhaven City Council this year.
However, this project is a tiny part of the potential for development from Sealark, the development entity owned by the Halloran Trust.
Henry F. Halloran was a developer and property owner in the early 1900s, and his name is to be found on a research trust at the University of Sydney.
Halloran’s focus was around Canberra, Port Stephens, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Jervis Bay and Port Macquarie until the Great Depression and two World Wars curbed his expanding development portfolio.
But through the trust, Sealark owns 2760ha of land on the NSW South Coast between Culburra Beach and Sussex Inlet—89 per cent of it is voluntarily conserved.
That leaves 306ha earmarked for residential development and community purposes.
Sealark’s other project in progress is at Callala Bay, 10 minutes south of Culburra, and comprises 38ha of residential development, 9ha of public reserves and 519ha of conservation land. The first release of land is expected in 2025.
And while the family’s connection to the region stretches back a long way, its development plans have been far from smooth sailing.
During the application process at Culburra there was a major pushback from the community over concerns about groundwater contamination affecting the surrounding waterways.
Philpott says they are monitoring Lake Wollumboola and
the Crookhaven River for water quality and oyster conditions.
“Our mixed-use development at Culburra Beach is progressing steadily, with the independent Aboriginal cultural heritage survey recently completed in collaboration with the Jerrinja community, and work under way on the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan,” Philpott says.
“We’re also progressing the sustainability strategy for the site, the baseline water quality monitoring program is well advanced, and the affordable housing strategy has been finalised and adopted.”
The next set of plans are expected to generally align with the approved concept plan.
“There are a few relatively minor adjustments to the layout we need to make, which have arisen from further consideration of the site,” Philpott says.
“As we finalise detailed designs, both for the residential and mixed-use precincts, we will embed sustainable development principles in preparation for the first stage DA, to be lodged in 2024.”
The proposal is split into three precincts—first up is the town centre expansion with mixed-use lots as well as 45 integrated housing lots, 12 medium-density residential lots, sportsground and parkland.
There is also an industrial centre expansion of 13 lots up to 5783sq m and a new residential area with 244 low-density lots, including dual occupancy, to create 293 homes and open space.
As part of Stage 1, 40 affordable homes will be built off Culburra Road in answer to a shortage of such homes in the region, the developer say.
The average house price at Culburra Beach is around $900,000, with a limited supply of apartments, according to a Hotspotting report by Ryder last year.
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