Williamtown SAP draft masterplan on public exhibition until June 8

The plan, which is considerably smaller in size than what was originally proposed in 2019, is on public exhibition for 56 days, providing the Port Stephens community until June 8, 2022, to have their say.

According to the state government, the SAP will deliver on jobs and growth and capitalise on the emerging aerospace industry around the RAAF Base at Williamtown and Newcastle Airport.

"The area will become a leading defence and aerospace precinct," the plan says.

While the public exhibition has been welcomed by Liberal Parliamentary secretary Taylor Martin and Port Stephens developer Edward Crawford, owner of the former Williamtown Public School which lies within the SAP area, Opposition MP Kate Washington, on the other hand, was scathing on the government for not protecting PFAS residents.

"This is an important opportunity for landowners and the community to comment, and to make sure the master plan delivers on what is being promised," Mr Crawford said.

"We have to get it 100 per cent right. We have been seeking employment generating land uses for our site for over a decade, and I know other landowners have too.

"The economic potential of the location is obvious. It is good that the NSW Government has looked at what needs to be done to get it moving. Port Stephens and the Hunter region need the jobs and the investment."

Mr Crawford said he wants to redevelop the former school site. "When we bought it from the Department of Education at auction a decade ago, it was already badly vandalised. We have been trying for years to utilise the site, but the current zoning won't allow that."

"Bringing the Nelson Bay Road duplication straight into the existing roundabout near McDonald's means this spot is even more visible. Work on the SAP has to start at this intersection first, to tidy up the whole gateway. It's an eyesore."

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A critical Ms Washington said that the residents and property owners inside the PFAS zone had been let down by the government.

"After three long years, the government has finally published its plans," Ms Washington said.

"In 2019, the Liberals said the SAP would be a 'positive, permanent solution to the PFAS situation,' but they have spectacularly failed to deliver on that promise. The Liberal Government must be held to account for that decision.

"I have sought a briefing with the department to understand when property acquisitions will commence for affected residents. At long last, these people deserve some decency and certainty from the government."

Mr Martin said that the draft master plan would leverage key aerospace, advance manufacturing and STEM related investment opportunities to transform the area into a world class precinct.

"The precinct is located at a strategic location between the Hunter's key air, sea and road gateways of Newcastle Airport, Port of Newcastle and M1 Pacific Motorway," he said.

"Following extensive investigations by technical experts including environmental, civil and flood, economic and urban planners, the precinct boundary is 395 hectares, focussing on the area south of the RAAF base.

"The precinct will attract national and international investors and boost local businesses to create around 3,700 new jobs in the region over the next 40 years.

"The investigation area for a Williamtown precinct initially covered 10,000 hectares within the Port Stephens LGA. As work progressed, this area was refined based on market and economic demand, including environment factors."

The Port Stephens community and stakeholders have an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft, which would help the department better understand the views of the community before releasing the final master plan.

Once finalised the master plan will be the 40-year strategic plan for the precinct.

This also means the Port Stephens Local Environmental Plan 2013 will no longer apply to land within the precinct, however there are a limited number of clauses that will continue to apply and these are outlined in the discussion paper.

Landowners in the SAP precinct are being invited to attend information sessions, including two drop-in sessions to be held at Murrook Community Centre on Nelson Bay Road, Williamtown.

The first will take place on Tuesday, May 31, between 12pm and 3pm and again between 5 and 7pm, and the second on Wednesday, June 1, between 10am and 1pm.

The master plan is expected to be finalised in late 2022 and the delivery plan would provide more details on site-specific development controls and strategies.

A copy of the draft can be accessed at: planning.nsw.gov.au/Plans-for-your-area/Special-Activation-Precincts/Williamtown-Special-Activation-Precinct.