Bulli FAQs

We recognise that households in the Wollongong area are shrinking and housing affordability remains a challenge for many across NSW. The latest Census data shows that in Bulli, 35.1% of renters are experiencing rental stress, while 12.2% of households with a mortgage are experiencing mortgage stress.

The local area also has a mismatch between the type of housing available and local need. There is an oversupply of larger homes and an increasing number of one and two person households looking for smaller homes. Boosting the supply of smaller housing types in the area will give locals greater housing choice.

Our aspiration for the redevelopment of the former Bulli Hospital site is to provide a mix of smaller, more affordable and accessible homes to meet the needs of the local community. 

As a State Owned Corporation we are obligated to act commercially and cannot progress projects that are not financially feasible. As such, we need to balance community and stakeholder feedback with other planning considerations, such as site constraints, planning controls, and Landcom’s housing affordability, diversity and sustainability targets.

We are transforming the former Bulli Hospital site with new open space and a mix of new homes that will blend with the existing neighbourhood and help meet local housing need. New homes will be within walking distance of Bulli railway station, local schools, shops and community facilities.

Our final concept plan, refined with our specialist consultants following a review of community and stakeholder feedback, shows how we intend to redevelop the site. 

We plan to deliver:

• 50 new homes, with a mix of housing types to suit different households’ needs, lifestyles and budgets. These include freestanding homes, manor homes, semi-detached homes, terraces and above-garage studios
• A new 2,500sqm park nestled among the grove of mature turpentine trees on the western side of the site, with fantastic views of the coast, and interpretive landscape and design features to recognise the site’s history
• Terraced rain gardens and stormwater retention basins at the lower parts of the site, landscaped with native plants, to guide stormwater away from neighbouring properties
• A new access street with landscaped verges and around 58 on-street parking spaces, and a through site-pedestrian link to improve neighbourhood connectivity.

To learn more about our plans, visit our virtual engagement room.

Landcom is committed to engaging with communities and other stakeholders. We held two rounds of consultation to inform the concept plan:

• an initial round of consultation, from October to November 2022, to understand community aspirations and interests relating to the site
• a second round of consultation, held in February 2023, to invite feedback on three draft design concepts and ideas for how we could interpret the site’s history in landscaping and urban design.

We heard a mix of views and ideas, helping to inform our concept plan which balances stakeholder needs and aspirations with other planning considerations including:

• The site’s context, landscape and surrounding neighbourhood character
• Constraints such as topography and ground conditions
• Council planning controls, including height limits, setbacks and off-street parking requirements for each housing type
• Landcom’s housing affordability, diversity and sustainability targets.

In response to feedback, the concept plan includes:

• a number and mix of homes most aligned to community feedback
• housing types which align to existing planning controls, with consideration of overshadowing, privacy and views to deliver positive design outcomes on site and for neighbours
• public open space for everyone to enjoy, with fantastic views of the coast
• information displays, interpretive signage and reuse of building materials to recognise the site’s history, with inspiration drawn from ideas shared during consultation
• improved neighbourhood connections
• access to new homes limited to the two existing site entrances on Hospital Road, minimising impacts to traffic flow on this road
• a widened internal street to provide around 58 on-street parking spaces.

Thank you to those who provided feedback. Feedback summary reports and the information we had on display can be accessed in the Documents section on this webpage.

We recognise the former Bulli Hospital and its history are significant to the local community.

The former hospital buildings were not heritage listed and many had fallen into disrepair and had been vandalised. The buildings and grounds are also contaminated with things like asbestos, lead paint and other chemicals commonly used in medical facilities. Remediating the site will enable the land to be repurposed to deliver much needed local housing and new public open space.

A local heritage consultant from Austral Archaeology has documented the site’s former uses prior to demolition works commencing and has provided guidance about how to manage any historic items uncovered. Their investigation included:

• reviewing historic records and mapping
• reviewing local and state heritage and environmental planning instruments
• a site inspection to photograph buildings prior to demolition and survey the site.

We want future development to be respectful to the site's landscape, history and neighbourhood character. Through the concept planning process and the community consultation sessions we held, we have gathered helpful suggestions for how the site’s history can be reflected in landscaping and design.

The new park will include information displays and interpretive signage, and integrate old signage and architectural features of the former buildings into the park’s gardens. Materials such as bricks will be reused where possible in retaining and boundary walls, while we propose to reinterpret the historic entrance gates to form a new entry feature wall.

Landscaping and design, including features which interpret the site’s history, are subject to Wollongong City Council approval. 

We acknowledge that traffic and parking are major concerns within the community.

Traffic modelling has been completed that is specific to the proposed type and number of homes, showing that traffic generated by proposed new homes will only lead to a minor increase in local traffic on Hospital Road and Organs Road.

In response to community feedback, the concept plan includes:

• a proposed internal street which limits access to new homes to the two existing Hospital Road site entrances, minimising impacts to traffic flow on this road
• a widened internal street to provide around 58 on-street parking spaces.

There will be off-street private parking spaces, aligned with Wollongong City Council requirements for new housing.

We have examined increasing parking on site but given the size and steep slope of the site, we cannot incorporate additional public parking without decreasing the number of homes. Given the site’s residential zoning and the significant need for more housing, we will not reduce the number of homes on site to increase public parking.

Construction Traffic Management Plans have been lodged with our development applications to show how traffic will be managed during works.

An ecologist has assessed the impact on plants and animals, including those identified by the community.

Buildings were also inspected before demolition. In the event any wildlife accesses a work area, work will be halted until the animal has left the work area, or a wildlife organisation has been contacted to help relocate the animal.

An arborist has assessed the trees on site to identify their species, health, and significance in terms of maturity, height, life expectancy and retention value.

The turpentine trees on the western side of the site will be retained, along with other trees surrounding some of the new homes. Some trees will need to be removed during planned remediation works and others may require pruning to remove dead or diseased limbs.

We have introduced measures to minimise the impact of works on trees, plants and animals. This includes tree protection zones installed around trees during works in accordance with Wollongong City Council requirements, and mesh fencing to prevent wildlife from accessing work areas.

As indicated in our concept plan, there will be extensive planting of native trees, shrubs and grasses within the new park, verges of the internal street, and along part of Hospital Road. The terraced rain gardens and stormwater retention basins will also feature low-maintenance native plants, complementing nearby bushland habitat.

The ecology report and arborist report have been submitted to Council as part of our subdivision development application.

A civil engineer assessed a range of approaches for managing heavy rainfall, preventing onsite flooding and limiting stormwater overflow, as well as ways to improve the quality of any stormwater runoff.

During construction we will use stormwater traps, sandbags and mesh fencing to limit water runoff from rainfall and any sediment or wash from equipment decontamination. The sediment controls will be inspected daily, and also before, during and after any rain events.

Our concept plan includes terraced rain gardens and stormwater retention basins at the lower parts of the site, landscaped with native plants. A pit and pipe network and overland flow paths are proposed to guide stormwater to the retention basins and away from neighbouring properties. The basin designs are subject to Wollongong City Council approval and are proposed to be dedicated to Council.

A stormwater management plan has been submitted to Council as part of our subdivision development application.

In February 2023, the Wollongong Local Planning Panel approved our development application (DA-2022/1093) to demolish buildings at the former Bulli Hospital site. 

Works began in May 2023, with buildings being demolished in stages to allow controlled work areas to be established to best minimise any impacts. Demolition works include:

• establishing tree protection zones
• installation of dust, noise and vibration monitors
• safe removal of asbestos and contaminants, air monitoring for asbestos fibres undertaken close to the works being conducted (or as determined by the independent Occupational Hygienist to conduct the monitoring) during asbestos removal
• demolition of buildings and concrete slabs using excavators
• excavation of contaminated soil
• removal of building materials from site
• stockpiling and setting aside some building materials identified as suitable for potential reuse.

These works are being carried out by Enviropacific Services as lead contractor for demolition works and planned remediation.

A site manager is on duty during construction hours. Their contact details are included on site signage and have been shared with our immediate neighbours.

Work hours are 7am – 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am – 4pm Saturdays, in line with Landcom's approved Construction Traffic Management Plan.

Ground remediation is required to ensure that the site is safe for future use.

Our contamination management solution has been used to remediate contaminated sites across NSW for new uses including housing, open space and community facilities.

Our proposed remediation methodology is subject to Wollongong City Council approval.

Enviropacific Services is lead contractor for demolition works and planned remediation works, with works to be overseen by a qualified specialist and approved by an independent site auditor licensed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority.

Remediation works will include:

• removing all soil that is found to contain asbestos
• filtering soils to remove other waste for safe disposal
• disposal of waste at landfills approved by the NSW Environment Protection Authority using secure labelled bins during transport.

Some low-level contaminated materials, such as hydrocarbon (found in the existing bitumen) and building rubble, will be retained onsite and buried under future roads. This approach is common and will be undertaken to:

• reduce the amount of waste going to landfill
• reduce the amount of new soil, or fill, that needs to be transported to the site
• minimise traffic impacts from construction by reducing the number of vehicles that need to travel to and from site to remove material, or bring in new material.

Contractors will undertake remediation works in protective gear, including HAZMAT suits. This is to ensure that they do not come into contact with contamination, which will be remediated in controlled work areas. Appropriate wash down zones for trucks will be in place to ensure contaminants are managed safely on site.

Neighbours are safe to continue normal routines including keeping windows open, gardening or walking past the site.

If there are any concerns with air monitor readings, we have protocols in place to halt work immediately, secure any contaminated areas, and notify SafeWork NSW. Neighbours will be notified if there are any safety concerns.

Landcom will ensure the impact of works is minimised by:

• establishing controlled work areas around buildings to be demolished
• spraying water to suppress dust, and halting works which generate dust if there are high winds
• asbestos fibre air monitoring by a trained contractor during asbestos removal works
• monitoring of air quality during works, and if there are any safety concerns, ceasing works and notifying neighbours
• establishing quarantined asbestos removal work areas for authorised personnel only
• installing temporary structures which prevent runoff of sediment off site
• washing down equipment onsite to decontaminate it after use
• installing security fencing with mesh barriers to reduce the spread of dust and limit wildlife from accessing work areas
• establishing tree protection zones
• installing signage and establishing traffic control near the site entry on Hospital Road to manage vehicle movements and safely guide road users, pedestrians and cyclists
• distributing truck movements during work hours to avoid peak hour traffic and, where possible, coordinating major truck movements with Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District to minimise impacts
• ensuring all construction vehicles, including all contractors and subcontractors, park on site and do not park on the street
• providing regular construction updates to our immediate neighbours.

A site manager is on duty during construction hours and their contact details are included on site signage.

In November 2023, we lodged a development application with Wollongong City Council for earthworks, landscaping and subdivision of lots for future homes.

Council placed the development application, including the final concept plan and supporting documents, on public exhibition from 22 November to 6 December 2023. To learn more about our plans, visit our virtual engagement room. 

Pending approvals, we anticipate we will start works in 2024, with the sale of initial housing lots anticipated to begin in 2025.

We will proactively inform neighbours about works occurring on site via letterbox drop or email, and update the wider community via our e-newsletter and project webpage.