Recognising the national housing shortage, and local government’s role in managing growth, Council aims to collaboratively identify suitable sites for growth, explore practical solutions, and define essential infrastructure that is fundamental for responsible growth.
How we got here
Project overview and scene setting
In this stage of our Growth and Housing strategy, we looked to build understanding about:
- How participants can be involved in the project and spread the news about the project
- What are the expected activities that will roll out over coming months and what will this result in (completion of strategy)
- The change that has occurred in Kiama over the past 30 years and how this change has helped to shape the places that are loved today
- The opportunities and challenges that growth presents and what this means to each person in the LGA
- The planning principles that will help shape the Kiama of the future and how community input has formed these.
This stage of the strategy focused on how we enliven our existing identified growth areas and precincts, and scope opportunities to plan on the ground for growth.
This Engagement Plan was endorsed by Council at the Ordinary Meeting on 19 March 2024.
Throughout April, May and June 2024, a range of community and stakeholder engagement activities were carried out to gather feedback to inform the strategy.
This included:
- Online project page and community engagement.
- Individual stakeholder interviews.
- Traditional communication methods (website, media release, social media).
- Discussion papers and blog posts.
- Town and village community pop up stalls.
- Distributed brochures and other hard copy information.
- Workshop with councillors and precinct groups.
- Craft activities with families and young children.
- Workshops at a local primary and high school.
- Industry Forum with developers, landowners, and other stakeholders.
- Developer EOI to identify potential development sites.
- Formal exhibition of the draft strategy.
- Community members – residents and visitors
- Landowners
- People who work in the Kiama LGA (regardless of where they live)
- Business owners
- Developers
- Precinct and committee groups
- Councillors.
- Youth – including pre-school, primary and high school aged children.
The engagement feedback was presented in an Engagement Report to the 18 June 2024 Council Meeting.
In this stage, the draft strategy was prepared based on the data and evidence identified, with a focus on conveying what we heard from the community and stakeholders during Community Consultation.
The Draft Growth and Housing Strategy was presented to Council at the Ordinary meeting on 16 July 2024 and endorsed for exhibition.
The Draft Strategy was exhibited between 19 July and 16 August 2024.
An Engagement Report has been prepared which provides an overview of feedback received from individuals, organisations and state government agencies.
A Discussion Paper has also been prepared (Attachment 2) which provides a summary of the background, process to prepare the Draft Strategy, current status and recommendations in regard to the next steps.
Key documents:
A revised Draft Strategy was endorsed by Council on 18 February 2025. The Draft Local Housing Strategy (Draft v2) and updated Kiama Local Strategic Planning Statement was on public exhibition to enable community and stakeholder comments. Submissions closed on Sunday 27 April 2025.
Between 26 February and 27 April 2025, we invited you to review and provide feedback on the Draft Local Housing Strategy (Draft v2)]. You had the opportunity to speak with staff at our community pop-ups, share your feedback online, and attend the Kiama Local Housing Strategy Information Session breakfast.
We will now consider all submissions on Draft v2, as well as previous feedback and the NSW Governments Housing Strategy Guideline. A final Local Housing Strategy will then be prepared and reported back to Council.
Key documents:
Draft Local Housing Strategy (Draft v2)
A Final Strategy will be prepared and reported to Council for adoption in June or July 2025.
The Strategy will then be referred to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for endorsement and then implemented.
