Planning Proposal - 190 Military Road, Port Kembla

On 16 June 2025, Wollongong City Council resolved to seek a Gateway determination from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and obtain community input on a Planning Proposal to amend Schedule 1 Additional Permitted Uses, of the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009 for land at 190 Military Road, Port Kembla. The premise is currently operating as a café trading under the name ‘Cakes by Rach’.

Previously we conducted a non-statutory preliminary exhibition between 11 March to 31 March 2025. The feedback received was used to guide the proposal and a summary of submissions received was included in the 16 June 2025 Council report for Councillors to consider.

We are now inviting formal submissions following the 20 August 2025 Gateway determination. A summary of what we heard will form part of the Post Exhibition Report that is considered by Councillors when making their determination on the Planning Proposal.

Should Council resolve to finalise the proposal, Schedule 1 Additional Permitted Uses of the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009 will be amended to include 'Restaurant or Cafe' as a permissible use with consent on the site.

Background

The site has been used for some form of commercial operations since 1965, however, despite the site’s history, the current cafe use is not permissible. Having been advised in September 2022, that operating as a café was not a permissible use of the site under existing planning controls, the proprietor sought development consent to operate a food and drink premises which was refused in October 2024.

The Planning Proposal Request seeks to amend existing planning controls to permit the operation of a café/ restaurant at the site.

The intended outcome of the proposal is to permit a Restaurant or Café to operate on the site, subject to development consent.

The Planning Proposal for 190 Military Road, Port Kembla is on exhibition from Wednesday 27 August to Friday 26 September 2025 and can be viewed:

• At Warrawong and Wollongong Library branches during opening hours
• At Council’s Customer Service Centre, Ground Floor Administration Building, 41 Burelli Street Wollongong, between 9am and 5pm weekdays
• Online via the Documents Library

Please provide your feedback by Friday 26 September 2025. For written and emailed submissions, please quote: 'PP-2025/1'. Any submissions become public documents and may be viewed by other persons on request. Please read Council's Privacy Policy before submitting your feedback.

Accessibility and language assistance

If you’re d/Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech or language difficulty, you can contact us through the National Relay Service. If you need an interpreter, you can contact us through the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. You’ll need to provide our phone number 02 4227 7111 for either service.