West Culburra development achieves major milestone
Sealark has today received approval from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for its West Culburra development.
The Department has approved the West Culburra residential subdivision as a “controlled action” under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 following detailed assessment, and Sealark will continue to progress the development in accordance with all required conditions.
Sealark Managing Director – Land & Development Matt Philpott welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s decision.
“This is an important milestone for the West Culburra development and we look forward to continuing to engage with the community through the delivery phase,” Mr Philpott said.
“Allied health services, childcare and other community services are among the ideas for the development already suggested by interested locals.
“This is shaping up as a busy year for the project. The West Culburra development will integrate new homes with retail shops, business opportunities, sporting fields and reserves, and associated infrastructure, and we look forward to starting on site.
“We will soon be appointing contractors to undertake early works on site in accordance with approved development applications and as we progress, we’ll be looking to work with local contractors and suppliers to support the local economy,” he said.
Sealark anticipates lodging a development application for the main residential subdivision works in the second half of 2025.
The Concept Plan for the State Significant Development was approved in December 2021 and the first three DAs for the project, which cover early works to prepare the site for future development, have recently been approved by Shoalhaven City Council. All works are part of the approved Concept Plan.
Community consultation on the development commenced in 2013 and the formal Council-approved community engagement strategy will soon commence for people to provide feedback on specific aspects of the development and the delivery of the project.
At West Culburra, Sealark is delivering land for approximately 400 new homes, a mixed-use commercial and retail precinct, business premises, parks and reserves to bring greater housing choice, affordable homes, new jobs and a vital economic injection to the town.
At least 10% of the new homes will be affordable housing dwellings to be built and managed by a tier-1 Community Housing Provider on land gifted free of charge by Sealark.