One of the Kiama’s most complained-about eyesores will be gone within a couple of months with Council demolishing the abandoned nursing home at Havilah Place which has been vacant since 2019.

Demolition is due to start later this month and is expected to take around 10 weeks.

“Let's actually move forward and see what opportunities are available, this building has been vacant for a long time and now we’re seeing progress.” Council’s director of strategies & Communities director of planning, environment and communities Ed Paterson.told The Bugle.

“It's causing more problems than good.”

Council has received feedback from the community over the years that the disused building should be turned into temporary refuge for people affected by natural disasters or that it should become social housing accommodation but the building is basically condemned.

The cost of bringing it back up to operational standards would be a significant expense.

Council has been forced to bear the cost of maintaining security of the site while it sits in a state of disrepair with squatters and people stripping out copper wiring frequently setting off the fire alarms, much to the chagrin of the local emergency services crews.

Council, as part of adopting its Strategic Finance & Governance Improvement Plan in June 2024, resolved to progress the subdivision of the disused residential aged care home facility from the remainder of the Blue Haven Terralong site.

The subdivision plans will also ensure that the Kiama Community Garden is situated on community land rather than Blue Haven Terralong operational land.

“The subdivision designs are in limbo because when you're putting in a new boundary line, the Building Code of Australia comes into play,” Paterson explained.

“Boundary lines need to be set back certain distances from buildings to ensure fire compliance.

“If the building's not there, it's a bit more flexible for where we can put the boundary line between the old nursing home that's going to be demolished and the stage five building (of the Blue Haven Terralong retirement village).

“So having the nursing home gone means we'll be able to progress forward with the subdivision.”

Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald said it was important for Council to be able to provide certainty to the community members that use the garden.

“We’re committed to preserving the Kiama Community Garden and to making this area the best it can be for our Blue Haven residents and the local community.”

Paterson added: “Adjusting the boundary there so it sits on the broader sports precinct community land is really a positive outcome.

“Once the retirement village site is subdivided, then we can have conversations around how do we want to use the land where the old nursing home now sits? Do we sell it? Do we redevelop it ourselves? Because the site has some specific planning controls already on it that we did as part of the town centre study.”

Mayor McDonald said Council was working closely with residents of Blue Haven Terralong and will keep them informed every step of the way.

“Their wellbeing and peace of mind are incredibly important to us,” he said.

“As newly elected councillors, many of us are pleased about the progress which is being made because we want to be a progressive council and it shows we’re moving forward.”

Once the demolition has occurred, Council can proceed to subdivide the site from the remainder of the Blue Haven Terralong lot, which will help fulfil part of its NSW Government-imposed Performance Improvement Order.

The subdivision plans will also ensure that the land on which the Kiama Community Garden sits can be rezoned and be preserved for community use.

“If it's subdivided, then we can start realising some of those positive outcomes for the community. It's residentially zoned. It's got similar heights to Blue Haven Terralong Stage five,” said Paterson.