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Media Release - Department of Planning Sydney: 24 June 2008 COMBERTON GRANGE ASSESSMENT UNDERWAY A proposed $370 million tourist and residential development at Comberton Grange has been declared a major project by the State Government.
The Minister for Planning has authorised the lodgement of a concept plan for the site, which is the first step in the assessment process for the project. There are many other steps still to take place, including public exhibition of the proposal, before a determination is made.
Director-General’s requirements for the content to be included in the proponent’s Environmental Assessment report will be issued shortly.
The Shaolin Temple Foundation – which represents an ancient Chinese order of Buddhist monks – lodged a revised application with the Department of Planning on 4 June, which satisfied the recommendations made by the South Coast Sensitive Urban Lands Review.
In 2006, this independent review identified that, due to the environmentally sensitive nature of the site, the residential component of any proposal at Comberton Grange should be limited and be truly integrated with the tourist facility.
Department of Planning Director-General Sam Haddad said that previous versions of the Shaolin proposal had failed to satisfy these provisions, but that the most recent request received just this month could now be assessed by the Department.
The 1,250-hectare Comberton Grange site, approximately 12 kilometres south of the Nowra CBD, requires careful planning as it is in an isolated location and has a number of environmentally sensitive features.
For instance, it includes large tracts of native vegetation, a number of important wetlands and forms part of an important local habitat corridor.
Currambene Creek, which adjoins the site, has been declared a Sanctuary Zone within the Jervis Bay Marine Park and is listed on the Commonwealth Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia.
The area also contains a number of sites of important Aboriginal archaeological and cultural heritage significance.
The proposal qualifies as a major project under the State’s major projects assessment system for two reasons – being a tourist facility with a capital investment value of more than $100 million; and being a tourist facility that employs over 100 people.
The proposal comprises:
• Buddhist temple sanctuary complex (including residential accommodation for the Abbot and monks); • Kung-fu academy; • 500-bed 4-star hotel; • 27-hole golf course and club house; • Permanent residential development (including 300 self-contained villas for adaptive housing); and • Commercial shopping and community centre.
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