UPDATED plans for the proposed Shaolin Temple and Tourist Development at Falls Creek are on public exhibition on the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) website.
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The Shaolin Temple Foundation lodged a formal modification application for its proposed development at Comberton Grange, south of Nowra, in February this year.
The application went on public exhibition for comment on April 15 and will close on May 13.
Shaolin gained approved concept plans in September 2014 for nine precincts including the temple, education, village centre, health and wellness, hotel, information, heritage, Chinese garden and agricultural precincts where Shaolin can practice as well as share teachings and culture with the Australian people.
The original concept plan was a joint venture that included a golf course and residential accommodation but those elements were not approved.
The modification request, prepared by Urbis Pty Ltd, on behalf of Shaolin Temple Foundation seeks to amend the layout and built form of all development precincts.
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That includes -
Co-locating the village centre and hotel precincts in the northern section of the site.
Relocating the Chinese garden, information, wellness and education precincts.
The temple precinct itself will be reconfiguration into three sub precincts.
The plan also includes various amendments to traffic, stormwater, biodiversity and Aboriginal cultural heritage conditions to reflect the amended concept plan.
The application states the proposed modifications would achieve superior outcomes in terms of climatic design and sustainability; separating public and private spaces through co-location of compatible uses in harmony with the natural features of the site.
To ensure the feasibility of the project, it is proposed that the elements of the concept plan be delivered in two overarching stages, comprising multiple incremental 'milestone' stages to be completed over a 10 to 15-year period.
It is proposed stage one of the development enable the establishment of an initial settlement of monks (maximum 10) within the proposed meditation sanctuary precinct, to be completed by 2021.
That initial monk settlement would primarily engage in private Shaolin practice with occasional open days to allow a maximum of 48 visitors to attend the site for meditation practice.
While the monks will keep some private vehicles, it is anticipated they will make a maximum of one to two trips per day outside of the morning and evening peak. That would be via Comberton Grange Road.
The proposed second stage entails the settlement of the full monk population (maximum 50) within the meditation sanctuary precinct as well as incremental delivery of larger public-facing elements such as the temple and hotel precincts.
But prior to seeking approval to develop any part of the project's second stage Shaolin must first obtain approval for the grade separated interchange at the intersection of the Princes Highway and Forest Road from RMS and Shoalhaven City Council.
For further details or to make submissions on the Shaolin Temple modification go to the DPE Major Projects website - http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=9024