Sanctuary Point Library

At the Strategy and Assets meeting on 9 March 2021, Shoalhaven City Council resolved to progress to the public exhibition stage of the concept design of the Sanctuary Point District Library.

The concept plan was developed after preliminary community consultation last year, which included workshops held in December 2020 – the outcomes of this consultation is summarised in the Phase 1 Community Engagement Report.

The Council resolution (MIN21.126) was as follows:

1. Council accept the report for information.

2. Council support the public exhibition of the Sanctuary Point District Library Concept Plan.

a. Where significant and adverse feedback is received, amend the design to address the issues raised as deemed necessary.

3. Council receive a further report at the conclusion of the public exhibition period.

4. Council endorse progressing to Development Application lodgement as per MIN20.33.

5. The construction of a new amenities block at Frances Ryan Reserve continue to be in the forefront of Council’s plan.

The public exhibition will involve an exhibition period of 28-days, online survey, acceptance of submissions and a community drop-in session during the public exhibition period.

The community drop-in session will be an opportunity for the community members to come and meet Council staff and members from the consultant team to discuss the preferred concept plan, ask questions, and provide their feedback.

Further details of the public exhibition will be available shortly.

The consultants have finalised a report on the outcomes of the Sanctuary Point Library community engagement activities undertaken to date. This follows the completion of three workshops in December 2020 with an External Stakeholder Group and two Community Groups. The report provides a summary of the proceedings and the key discussion areas in relation to the design of the Library.

View the Sanctuary Point Library - Phase 1 - Community Engagement Report

Council’s Strategy and Assets Committee Meeting on Tuesday 9 March 2021 considered a report on the Sanctuary Point District Library. The purpose of the report was to update Council on the project and seek Council’s endorsement to publicly exhibit the draft concept plan.

Council endorsed the recommendation, and added a part 5 relating to Francis Ryan Reserve Amenities. The recommendation read:

That Council:

1. Accept the report for information.

2. Support the public exhibition of the Sanctuary Point District Library Concept Plan.

a. Where significant and adverse feedback is received, amend the design to address the issues raised as deemed necessary.

3. Receive a further report at the conclusion of the public exhibition period

4. Endorse progressing to Development Application lodgement as per MIN20.33.

The proposed approach for the next stage of the community consultation includes:

• Public exhibition period supported by an online survey and acceptance of submissions. This is proposed for a period of 28 days.

• Community drop-in day during the public exhibition period. This will be an opportunity for the community members to come and meet Council staff and members from the consultant team to discuss the preferred concept plan, ask questions, and provide their feedback.

Copies of the concept plan and fly-throughs will be available for viewing and comment during the consultation period. Dates of the upcoming consultation period will be available and notified via this page, once confirmed.

A report updating Council on the Sanctuary Point Library project and seeking Council’s approval to publicly exhibit the concept plan will be considered at the Strategy and Assets Committee meeting on Tuesday, 9 March 2021.  

The meeting is scheduled to start at 5:00pm and will be held in the Council Chambers at Council’s Administration Building. Due to social distancing requirements at this time, the Council Chambers are closed to the public. The public can view the meeting live through the Council Meetings web page.

A copy of the report will be available on Council’s Agendas and Minutes web page on Friday 5 March 2021.  

If you wish to make a deputation on the matter at the meeting, you can find further information on Council’s Deputations web page.

Pending the outcome of this meeting, Council is proposing to hold workshops regarding the concept plans to receive your feedback.

Council is seeking registrations from the local community to participate in community consultations workshops to inform the development of a draft concept plan for the Sanctuary Point District Library.

Two community consultation sessions will be held at St Georges Basin Community Hall on Wednesday, 9 December 2020 with a morning session from 11.00 am - 1.00 pm and an evening session from 5.30 - 7.30 pm. Council has engaged an external consultant to run the sessions.

Feedback will be used to inform the development of the draft concept plan. A final design concept will be presented to the community in early 2021.

Numbers are limited to 25 people per session due to COVID restrictions.

To register complete the online Registration Form or contact Council’s Senior Strategic Planner, Jessica Volkanovski, on 02 4429 3152. Registration closes 4pm Tuesday 8 December 2020.

If you are interested in providing feedback but unable to attend a workshop session, you can provide comments via the Feedback Form.

Shoalhaven City Council has appointed Brewster Hjorth Architects (BHA) to undertake the design and facilitate the community consultation process for Sanctuary Point District Library.

BHA are experienced in preparing designs for Public Libraries, a number of which have received design awards. Some notable Public Library projects which they have been involved with include the:

• Rockdale Library and Civic Centre
• Oran Park Library and Community Resource Centre
• Warilla Library
• Ingleburn Library and Community Centre.

You can contribute to the development of the concept plan for this exciting project by participating in a community workshop on 9 December 2020.

Please note, due to COVID restrictions, registrations will be required and numbers limited. Find out more via the 'Participate' tab.

Following the advice received at the pre-lodgement advice meeting, Council have now resolved (MIN20.33) to locate the new Sanctuary Point District Library on the corner of Kerry Street and Paradise Beach Road (Site A):

“1. Accept this report as an update on MIN18.910

2. Select Site A, located on the corner of Kerry Street and Paradise Beach Road, as the preferred site for building of a new district library at Sanctuary Point.

3. Proceed to community consultation, detailed design and lodgement of a Development Application.

4. Receive a report from staff on the construction of the new amenities block together with costings at Francis Ryan Reserve.”

Council staff will now move forward with Part 3 of the above decision.

Preliminary Concept Plans prepared for District Library on Two Potential Sites

To move forward with the project, Council engaged architects Brewster Hjorth to prepare preliminary concept plans for the two potential locations for the library to assist with the determination of a final site for the District Library in Sanctuary Point. Their work included:

- Assessment of both the sites existing site survey, including contours and drainage information.
- Provision of preliminary library concept plans.

Copies of the preliminary concept plans are located in the Photo Galley. Note: These preliminary concepts are not the final design and were only prepared as a visualisation exercise to undertake the site selection for the Sanctuary Point District Library.

A pre-lodgement advice meeting was held to seek advice on the proposed District Library on the Francis Ryan site (Site B – see plan below). This meeting included discussions around:
- car parking
- building design and accessibility
- bushfire zoning
- building impact on neighbouring properties – especially residential
- bio-diversity assessment
- possible issues with bushfire zoning, bio-diversity impact and lack of adequate car parking
- ability to integrate the design of the building with some oval uses, with options for a mixed-use space.

This meeting also identified an alternative site, close to the Francis Ryan Site, on the corner of Kerry Street and Paradise Beach Road (Site A – see plan below).

This new potential site:
- Is in the same precinct but not considered due to the direction to only look at Council owned land.
- Is Council owned land currently in use as a car park and is 1,838m².
- Adjoins recently Council owner vacant parcel of land with the option to increase the site size to 2,438m²
- Does not require bio-diversity assessment or additional bushfire requirements.

After Council resolved to move the library from the Bay and Basin Community Hub in Vincentia, at its meeting on 30 November 2018, Council resolved (MIN18.910) to:

Confirm the Francis Ryan Reserve Site as the site for the Bay and Basin District Library and prepare a concept plan for the construction of the Library to the maximum size suitable for the site.