PUBLIC EXHIBITION - Draft Kogarah Investment Attraction Strategy

Georges River Council, at its meeting on 26 August 2019, considered a report and resolved to exhibit the Draft Kogarah Investment Attraction Strategy (the ‘draft Strategy’).

Council is now seeking community feedback on this draft Strategy which has been developed to guide the expansion of investment and employment in the sectors of health, education and innovation in the area.

Building on Kogarah's existing strengths and taking into account the competitive advantages of other health and education precincts, the strategy presents a credible and fact-based narrative for Kogarah based on the Four R's:

• Recovery - Kogarah’s walkability to a number of open space and natural environment areas make it ideal for patients to recover in a pleasant and recovery enhancing environment
• Rehabilitation - Patients recovering from surgery and those with injuries will require rehabilitation services and allied health services, of which Kogarah is home to many
• Restoration - Patients recovering from serious injury and illness need support to restore their life circumstances, including acute care, mental health and relationship support
• Regenerative medicine - This type of medicine represents the new technology frontier, enabling individuals to strengthen their normal functioning of cells, tissues and organs. It is a current research focus of the UNSW St George and Sutherland Clinical School

The draft Strategy suggests a number of recommendations for Council to pursue to support business and investment and build long lasting strategic partnerships to support Kogarah's existing and future jobs.

The draft Strategy is on public exhibition from 3 September 2019 to 20 October 2019, and can be viewed at:

• Georges River Service Centre, MacMahon Street, Hurstville, between the hours of 8.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday

• Georges River Council Kogarah Service Centre and Library, Kogarah Town Square, Belgrave Street, Kogarah, between 8.30am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday

• Hurstville Library, during library opening hours

If you make a submission and have made political donations or gifts, a statement must be completed. A form is available from Council’s website.

A submission by way of objection must set out the grounds for objection. Submissions are not confidential. Requests to access submissions will be considered in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. For more information about Council's Privacy Management Plan, contact Council’s Governance Section on 9330 6400.

**Update from the public exhibition period

Feedback from Your Say was mainly around a concern for high density development in the centre and the need to ensure adequate open space and an efficient transport network to allow for the realisation of the 4 R’s.

The strategy is not concerned with residential development and is focused on delivering additional commercial floor space to attract high quality jobs. Innovative ways to deliver more open space in the area is currently being looked at by Council. In addition, Council is currently lobbying the NSW Government to deliver more frequent train services to Kogarah in peak periods.