A development application is with council on The Works’ Heritage Plaza in Corrimal. Photo: Legacy Property.
Plans to transform part of the former Corrimal Coke Works into a new community hub that honours the site’s industrial past are now on public exhibition.
A development application with Wollongong City Council for the proposed Heritage Plaza at The Works aims to redevelop it into a community hub and gathering space to feature retail outlets, cafes, green space and shared workspaces to foster community engagement and interaction.
Within that space, developer Legacy Property wants to restore and rebuild historic features such as the original 1912 brick chimney, coke ovens and rail and hot-car tracks, despite some being in poor condition.
Interpretive displays will also be developed to acknowledge the stories of the site and recognise key historical figures.
The Corrimal Coke Works opened its doors in 1912 and closed in 2014, making it the longest-running coke works in the Southern Hemisphere.
Legacy Property development director Steve Ball said honouring the heritage of the former Corrimal Coke Works had always been central to the plan for The Works.
“We have always acknowledged The Works sits on a unique historical Illawarra site and committed early to incorporating that rich story into the community we are building,” Mr Ball said.
“The Heritage Plaza will be the main social destination of The Works so we wanted to make it a place of culture, community and history.”
An artist’s impression of Heritage Plaza. Photo: Legacy Property.
The original 1912 brick chimney will feature the surrounding powerhouse building, which will be adaptively reused and create a distinctive landmark for the site.
A bank of the original C1 coke ovens will be rebuilt with the final aesthetic reflecting their purpose and performance, while the C1 north stack will also be retained.
They will also reinstate the original rail and hot-car tracks, the reuse of coal hoppers as interpretative features and the recycling of bricks in walls, paving and heritage referencing.
“We are retaining and reusing key elements that have maintained their structural integrity while other elements are being recycled, revitalised or reinterpreted for best use for future generations,” he said.
“We look forward to seeing our vision come to life and welcoming the community into this shared space in the future.”
As part of changes made to Stage 1 of the DA, an internal road has been realigned to allow greater width in the plaza for ease of pedestrian activity with the plaza designed to be accessed by walking, cycling and public transport.
Improved access to Corrimal Station is also included in the design.
Construction of the first 179 apartments as part of Stage 1 of the project began late last year to transform the former industrial site into Wollongong’s first 5-Star Green Star rated community.
If approved, construction of the Heritage Plaza is expected to begin in 2027.
The development application is on public exhibition until 18 March.
