FAQs
How would you describe the planned project?
What has been proposed is a community model to help solve the housing crisis in regional Australia.
The future Ulladulla Precinct will revitalise a one hectare disused bulky goods site, adjacent to the town centre, into a mixed-use urban precinct.
The master plan will include four distinct buildings with 250 housing options offered at a wide range of price points, including a significant component of key worker housing.
Employment opportunities will be created from the commercial tenancies. There will be an early childhood centre on-site.
The remainder of the site at ground level will serve as a central community open space sitting over parking levels.
How did this project come about?
The founders of the project had heard back in 2020 that Bunnings Ulladulla were eventually going to move to a much larger site they had purchased on the Princes Highway, just down the road from the current location.
The previous owners were then approached and they agreed to sell the property.
What ensued were many discussions on what to do with the site when it became vacant.
At some point early on in the process the idea for Ulladulla Precinct came about as a way to reimagine a large, vacant site in town in a mixed use precinct to address the housing crisis and the chronic worker shortage experienced in Milton-Ulladulla.
When will it be built?
The proposal is still in early stages.
Building the project is dependent on a number of planning and development approval processes, as well as the eventual departure of the existing tenant from the site. With the support of council, state government, and community stakeholders, construction could begin as early as late 2027, with expected completion in late 2030 at the earliest.
That timeline, however, may be subject to change.
What are the positives for the Milton-Ulladulla area and the NSW South Coast?
Ulladulla Precinct would produce over 514 construction jobs over three years, with over 187 local, permanent jobs created on-site thereafter.
There will be 250 more new homes in the area, with up to 63 of them being affordable or key worker housing. An on-site early learning centre is planned, with additional commercial offerings.
The intention is to revitalise a one hectare piece of disused land into a vibrant, mixed use, community precinct.
This recycling of an infill site adjacent to the town centre also addresses some of the local community’s environmental concerns about the relentless greenfield development quietly enveloping the town.
Who is building this?
As the project is still in its initial stages, a formal tender process to engage a builder could potentially be years away.
A planning proposal to re-zone the land was lodged in January 2024. Assuming that re-zoning is granted, a development application will be lodged, which takes considerable time.
Upon DA approval a tender process to engage a builder would commence. Given the size of the project and the cost to build it, the expectation is that a mid- top tier Sydney or Canberra firm will win the job. That said, the project team would require the builder to invite local trades to quote and work on the project.
What about employment?
The project has identified that 514 jobs will be created during the construction phase, and an anticipated 187 more local jobs once delivered. This is considerably more employment than is currently offered on the site.
In addition, the Ulladulla Precinct will bring to the area a large number of badly needed key workers in the education, medical, emergency and hospitality industries by building homes for them to live in.
Is this a high-rise building?
Approximately 250 apartments have been proposed, spread across four separate low rise buildings on one hectare of land. A central open plaza with commercial offerings on the fringes will connect to each of the four buildings.
The Building Council of Australia’s definition of a high rise is any building over 25 stories. One singular building on this site out of the four is up to nine levels. Without this height and density it would not be viable to deliver the key worker and affordable housing components that are desperately needed in the area. This is not a high-rise building.
Will the commercial and retail offerings detract from similar business types nearby?
The founders spent considerable time in the early stages (and ongoing) of this project talking to local business operators. The commercial tenant mix will be differentiated from other local businesses.
For example, the food offering at Ulladulla Precinct will be different to those offered by nearby fast food businesses. Retail offerings nearby include a seafood shop, farm and produce stores, furniture, boating/camping and national fast food chains. There is no intention to deliver similar commercial offerings.
Offerings would include a fitness centre, early learning centre, some commercial tenants, and a dine-in restaurant.
Who is behind the Ulladulla Precinct?
The Mollymook and Canberra/Ulladulla-based families spearheading the project have deep roots in the community, laying the foundation for their commitment to Ulladulla’s future, including the appointment of Cox Architecture to the project.
Cox are renowned for their award-winning designs, including Willinga Park at Bawley Point.
What about parking and car trips?
Ulladulla Precinct will cater for over 500 parking spaces across 2 1/2 basement levels, with short term parking on grade for ease of access to childcare and other essential services. Multiple access points to Ulladulla Precinct have been designed within the master plan to ensure an easy movement of cars entering and exiting the site.
A lower level of car trips is anticipated given the many businesses on site and those other services within just a 200m walking distance of the Ulladulla Precinct.
Environmental
The founders believe infill and 'up' is the answer to housing affordability and accessibility in regional centres.
The alternative is greenfield development; knocking down thousands of trees and destroying the green spaces for which the Milton-Ulladulla region is famous.
By reactivating what is essentially a one hectare concrete slab with a shed - a former bulky goods site - to a mixed-use development that would house hundreds of people in at-market, and affordable apartments, the ‘front end’ environmental credentials of the project are not in question.
When built, the precinct is expected to align to LEED certification. The apartments have significantly lower running costs and a carbon neutral footprint via: rainwater harvesting, solar with battery storage, deep soil planting on site, and fewer comparative car trips per dwelling.