Jamberoo’s Allowrie and Churchill streets have been recognised for their heritage significance but it could create more difficulty for some business owners. Photo: City Plan Heritage/Kiama Municipal Council 2023.
Jamberoo’s historic value is now closer to being protected and preserved, with new heritage conservation areas, items and amendments identified, as the process to change the local environment plan to recognise these areas progresses to the next stage.
Sandstone walls, timber cottages and historic features which are crucial to Jamberoo’s character will be enjoyed for years to come with recognition of their value and a focus on their preservation guiding a new planning proposal in the town.
Kiama councillors unanimously voted to endorse the Jamberoo Heritage Review Planning Proposal to seek gateway determination by the state’s planning department, which would recognise new heritage items and areas and amend the controls around them.
“I’m very pleased to see the Jamberoo Heritage Review progressing in the way that is has and in particular the creation of two heritage conservation areas for the town,” councillor Stuart Larkins said.
“Obviously there has been a program of heritage reviews over the last few years; in the last term of council I was very pleased that we finalised the Kiama Heritage Review, we saw new heritage conservation areas established through that review and now we have seen two new heritage conservation areas for Jamberoo established through this process.
“I’m very happy that that’s progressing and furthermore once this is finalised then we can move on to the Gerringong Heritage Review which is also very important to see happen for Gerringong.”
The two heritage conservation areas (HCA) proposed were around Allowrie and Churchill streets.
But there was concern about what the boundary and zoning of the Allowrie Street HCA would mean for the future of the Jamberoo Hotel site, in particular a single storey dwelling at the rear fronting Beattie Street which is part of the property.
“This dwelling was approved in 1989 as a manager’s residence and auxiliary to the hotel. This operational need no longer exists for the current landowners and it has not existed for many years which is the case for many hotels at the moment,” town planner Lauren Turner explained on behalf of the owners at a public access meeting prior to the decision.
“In future the dwelling is intended to function as a standalone residential use consistent with the surrounding development. Importantly, the rear development does not contribute to the heritage significance of the Jamberoo Hotel, nor does it contribute to the streetscape of Allowrie Street.
“It does not reflect the historic period or architectural character that the heritage listing seeks to protect.”
While she suggested the proposal be amended to change the boundary to minimise unnecessary restraint as the owners look into subdivision and rezoning in the future, the proposal was voted through unaltered, with staff suggesting later planning proposals and development applications could still achieve the same goal.
But there is a still a process before the local environment plan is changed, with another public exhibition period still required following gateway determination, with all finalised documents to be made publicly available and the community once again able to have their say.
