FREE COMMUNITY PAPER
[ 19 April - 2 May 2025 ]
Minnamurra Kiama Downs Jamberoo Bombo Kiama Kiama Heights Gerringong Gerroa
Kate’s teal feel
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Housing forum raises affordability concerns Lynne Strong
L
ocals are feeling the squeeze as new development outpaces essential services like transport, health, and childcare in the Kiama LGA. Kiama Council’s Housing Strategy Forum brought together a panel of experts at the Sebel to have their say on the draft Local Housing Strategy currently on public exhibition. The forum provided a platform for residents to hear from planning, housing, and design experts while offering reflections on housing affordability, liveability, and the future shape of Kiama’s communities. Kiama Municipal Council Director of Planning Ed Paterson moderated the event which featured Natalie Allan from Southern Cross Community Housing,
property professional Simon Kersten, architect Madeleine Scarfe and Kiama Business Network president Cathryn Lyall. The session was structured around presubmitted questions, giving the panel time to respond in depth, though this format limited direct audience interaction. Frustration was evident over the pace of development outstripping local infrastructure. Scarfe warned that building homes without corresponding upgrades to transport, schools, and healthcare risks eroding the liveability that draws people to Kiama in the first place. “There’s little point building more homes if people can’t get to work, school, or medical appointments,” one presubmitted question pointed out.
Others urged more walkable neighbourhoods, local employment opportunities, and coordinated planning that puts people first. Council staff acknowledged the shortfall and confirmed they are lobbying state agencies for better coordination and funding. But many in the room questioned whether that would be enough without stronger planning controls at the local level. With Kiama’s median house price now around $1.55 million and the average new home loan in NSW sitting at $800,000, the affordability gap is widening. This financial strain, combined with short-term
rental pressures and lagging infrastructure, has prompted renewed calls for housing strategies that prioritise community needs. The forum was not just about planning codes or zoning maps. It was a
challenge to residents: to think bigger. To ask who is missing. And to ensure that Kiama remains not just a beautiful place to visit, but a place where people can afford to belong.
Darcy on the double
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The expert members of the panel discuss housing with Ed Paterson.
Anzac spirit
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James a marathon man
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