Heritage protection for Corrimal Coke Works will recognise “unique industrial history”, says Council

The former Corrimal industrial site to be redeveloped for housing

PART of the former Corrimal Coke Works – a site earmarked for hundreds of homes – will be listed by Wollongong City Council as a local heritage item in recognition of its unique industrial history.

Legacy Property and the Illawarra Coke Company (ICC) plan to develop around 700 homes on Railway Street. The developers say the plan will preserve “significant historical features, improve rehabilitation of remnant bushland, while providing housing diversity” on the former 18ha industrial site.

The area for listing includes most of the Coke Works structures and buildings including items of high heritage significance such as the Coke Oven Battery, the remnant wall of the former Power House and the Brick Stack.

The decision to list these items followed a public exhibition of the Heritage Amendment draft Planning Proposal in April 2020.

Council will now finalise the Planning Proposal to progress a Local Heritage listing for the site on the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009.

The Railway Street gates to the old coke works site at Corrimal

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the former coke works site is an important part of the city’s history.

“We want to make sure that any future redevelopment takes our community’s wishes into consideration. We received a large number of submissions during the public exhibition of the draft Planning Proposal,” he said.

“Your feedback showed that the Coke Works are still an important part of our community’s identity. The chimneys and structures have a strong place in the region’s history having formed an iconic part of the Corrimal skyline for the past 100 years.

“The heritage listing will not prevent future development on the site and some demolition of degraded structures may occur in the future. This listing will ensure that future development considers the heritage significance of the Coke Works at each stage of the process.

“Heritage outcomes are an important outcome of any development process. Listing the site as a local heritage item gives us a way forward to ensure that the history is preserved for current and future residents as its ongoing use is considered.”

For more information visit Council’s website at www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au or call Customer Service on (02) 4227 7111.

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