Companies working on the revitalisation of the Portland Cement Works have outlined a long-term plan for the site that focuses on recreational uses that will bring holidaymakers, and potential residents, to Portland.
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At a community meeting held at the Portland RSL on Friday, August 11, project planning consultant Kris Leck unveiled updated timelines and a structural plan for ‘The Foundations’, including 325 residential lots and 72 apartments.
However, Mr Leck said residential use of the site was secondary to preparing it for recreational use.
“Right now there is just not a market for it. First we are going to activate the site and get people interested in it.
“If we get enough interest, enough people camping or parking their RVs by the dams then maybe we will see if housing is applicable. We want to test what we have on the market first.”
Mr Leck outlined a number of attractions AWJ Civil is currently planning for the site now the mine’s remediation is complete.
Mr Leck said he had been in contact with muralist Guido van Helten, who has transformed silos in regional towns such South Australia’s Coonalpyn and Victoria’s Brim.
“He is very excited by the opportunity,” Mr Leck said.
“If the Yester Year murals attract 1000 people a year, this guy would attract 10,000. He transforms small rural towns.”
Stocking Rainbow Trout and Murray Cod in two dams on the site is another idea being explored by the group in collaboration with Ray Tang, secretary of the Wallerawang Central Acclimatisation Society.
“That would make it the closest Murray Cod fishery to Sydney,” Mr Leck said.
“With one-million recreational fishers in the state, unlocking a trophy dam would be such a great resource.”
Preliminary design plans show campsites on the foreshore of two dams on the western edge of the works, as well as a heritage trail.
“We’re looking at by the end of 2018 starting the construction of the early uses, such as camping, RVs, walking trails and fishing. The next year we will start looking at the DAs for the heritage buildings,” Mr Leck said.
"Ultimately, we'd like to have a small number of lots available to the market hopefully within five years and depending on what the demand is like and what the uptake is like we could see the whole site developed in 10 years or it might take 30 or 40 years.”
After a question from the audience, Mr Leck said the workers cottages on Williwa Street would most likely be on-sold.
The presentation also outline challenges for The Foundations development. About a third of the site is Crown Land, and a portion of that has existing Aboriginal land claims on it.