A proposed $32 million motel and tourist development at Huskisson has been described as "exciting" and will "bring a new level of luxury to Jervis Bay,"
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Locally owned Kingfisher Projects has lodged a development application with Shoalhaven City Council for 1 Moona Street, Huskisson for a four-storey development of 39 apartments of various sizes and a 40 room boutique hotel, complete with a day spa, 120 seat restaurant and a private upstairs terrace bar.
Greg Bathurst, of Kingfisher Projects, said the project "will bring a new level of luxury to Jervis Bay."
"It's an exciting new project for the southern gateway to Huskisson," he said.
"Designed by the world-renowned architect Kannfinch the space has been designed to maintain the essence of Moona Moona Creek and retains as many significant trees as possible to minimise the impact on floor and fauna.
This project won't transform the area into the Gold Coast like some have suggested on social media. The building is four storeys and 13m tall.
- Lee Carmichael, of PDC Planners,
"Many people remember the site with three fibro houses, others will remember the 'gypsy camp' and the backyard coffee shop that operated there. The new hotel will now give many more people the joy of staying at the entrance of magical Moona Creek."
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He said Jervis Bay was in need of a hotel that can accommodate the booming tourist economy.
"The long-term jobs the project will generate will create new employment opportunities for the region," he said.
He said where possible every effort would be made to use local workers on the project.
Lee Carmichael, of PDC Planners, who lodged the application with council on behalf of Kingfisher Projects Pty Ltd, said an "incredible amount of time and money had been spent putting together the best submission possible."
"It's a comprehensive application to fully address all relevant environmental and planning issues," he said.
"This is such an exciting development for the area, and one that in my opinion is now well and truly overdue."
He said the group looks forward to working closely with Shoalhaven City Council over the coming months and hopes the project gets across the line.
The site has been zoned for this type of proposal since at least 1985 with council reaffirming the desire for a multi-storey mixed-use tourist-oriented development on the site in 2014 through the adoption of the latest version of the Shoalhaven Local Environmental Plan and the Shoalhaven Development Control Plan.
"We understand that there will likely be significant community interest in this project, and, as the community consultation process unfolds, we look forward to hearing what the people have to say about it," Mr Carmichael said.
"What we would like to encourage is for people to speak up if they are in support of the proposal.
"Too often council only receives submissions from concerned residents who want to object to a proposal.
"For projects of this scale, it's important for the council to be able to understand how much support there is in the community for something like this.
"If you support additional tourist infrastructure, if you support construction jobs, if you support the creation of full-time permanent jobs in Huskisson, please write to council and let them know."
Mr Carmichael also addressed concerns already posted on social media that the development would be "high rise".
"This isn't a high rise building, it's four storeys, and pretty well the identical height to the adjoining 'Aquamist' apartments," he said.
"It will generally sit below the tree line and it has been design to sit within the landscape and not to redefine it.
"This project won't transform the area into the Gold Coast like some have suggested on social media, which is a ridiculous thing to say.
"The 'Q1' building on the Gold Coast is 322 metres tall, 'Soul Surfers Paradise' is 243m tall, 'Circle on Cavill' is 220m tall, our building is 13m tall."