Kiama Municipal Council is moving ahead with the Jamberoo Heritage Review.
Councillors on Tuesday night voted to approve a motion to endorse the Jamberoo Heritage Review Planning Proposal to amend the Kiama Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2011.
The process requires the preparation and submission of a Planning Proposal to the NSW Department of Planning & Environment for a Gateway Determination.
If a Gateway Determination is made, the Planning Proposal and Kiama Development Control Plan Chapter 4 Heritage and Cultural Conservation will be placed on public exhibition to enable community, stakeholder and state agency consultation to occur.
The Planning Proposal is aiming to:
- Introduce six new heritage items of local significance (of the 17 initially proposed)
- Introduce two new Heritage Conservation Areas (HCAs).
- Make minor boundary adjustments to three existing items.
The HCAs are located at Allowrie Street and Churchill Street.
Allowrie Street HCA
The six items are:
- Jamberoo RSL Hall and sandstone wall at 1 Allowrie Street, Jamberoo
- Timber cottage - 19 Chapel Lane, Jamberoo
- 'Elmsmere' at 48 Churchill Street, Jamberoo
- Doctor's surgery at 65 Churchill Street, Jamberoo
- Timber cottage at 71 Churchill Street, Jamberoo
- Glenn Murcutt-designed house at 197 Clover Hill Road Jamberoo
Churchill Street HCA
The three minor boundary adjustments are proposed for:
- 15 Allowrie Street, Jamberoo
- Jamberoo Uniting Church at 15 Wyalla Road, Jamberoo
- Jamberoo Uniting Church Hall at 15 Wyalla Road, Jamberoo
"Council has consulted with the local community and there is a significant number of valuable contributors in Jamberoo who value heritage and the significance of keeping those heritage items for future generations," Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald said.
"This is part of the pathway - we've done the studies, now Council puts that forward with regards to changes in our LEP for protection of those heritage items.
"Jamberoo is a very active community, and we are really appreciative of all the effort and contribution that goes into this beautiful, amazing place."
The Planning Proposal has been informed by the Jamberoo Heritage Study, which was prepared by Niche Environment and Heritage in 2022 with assistance from Council staff and members of the Kiama and District Historical Society, and an independent peer review by City Plan Heritage the following year.
An information report went to Council last September and the two studies were endorsed for exhibition at the October meeting.
They were placed on public exhibition from 24 October-30 November while Council also engaged in direct landowner consultation, including regular updates and an information session.
The finalisation of the Jamberoo Heritage Review will ensure appropriate controls are in place to recognise, protect and manage the heritage values within Jamberoo.
Council's Development Control Plan Chapter 4 includes a policy on minor works, which enables owners of heritage-listed properties to seek approval to undertake "minor" works without the need to go through the Development Assessment process.
Council also offers free heritage advice to owners wishing to undertake any work on their listed property.
