Kiama Council has released the Public Hearing Report on the reclassification of land at Blue Haven Bonaira. It is available on the Council website, at Kiama and Gerringong Libraries, in the Council’s Admin Centre foyer and at Blue Haven Bonaira reception.

The Report is a statutory requirement, with the purpose of providing an independent record of the submissions which the Council is required to share with the public and use to assess its decision on reclassification.

At the Public Hearing, 16 people made oral submissions (nine of whom also made written submissions) and Council received 21 written submissions. Most submissions were opposed to the reclassification. The concerns are summarised into three areas:

• The reasons for reclassification didn’t stack up

• Concerns around legal and procedural issues with Council’s decision-making processes to date

• Deficiencies in planning proposal documentation and justifications for the reclassification

As a result, the Report identified key questions raised from the community’s perspective directly relating to the proposal, being:

• Can Council lawfully operate the existing facility on community land with a plan of management in place that enables leasing for specified uses? If not, why?

• Can Barroul House and its curtilage be excised from the proposed reclassification? If not, why?

• How will the proposed sale of the land and associated facility impact Council’s financial position (short and longterm)?

• Has Council acted unlawfully by resolving to sell the land before the reclassification process has commenced and was complete? If not, why?

• What additional information, if any, can Council make available to the community to explain the financial implications for the potential sale and other options it may have considered? 

• Has Council fully considered all interests, conditions, agreements and restrictions in the land, in particular:

• The interests of the residents of the independent living units?

• The restriction of use on the title?

• Any conditions in funding agreements for the restoration of Barroul House

The Report acknowledges the complexity of the planning proposal and the community’s recognition of the significance of Council’s decision on the reclassification. Further, the community will continue to be following the process and the future of Bonaira closely. It concludes with the observation that providing information on these questions may help address community concerns and ‘will need to be given consideration in furthering the reclassification process’.