Ocean Baths update – Heritage Council to consider proposal on 6 May

Dear Mr Wickham

I refer to your email on behalf of the Friends of Newcastle Ocean Baths to the Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Heritage, the Hon Penny Sharpe MLC, about a development application related to the Newcastle Ocean Baths. Your email was referred to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and I have been asked to reply.

Thank you for sending the two recent media articles about the Stage 2 development application for the Newcastle Ocean Baths. I understand that you have also written to the Heritage Council of NSW.

The Heritage Council will be considering the Stage 2 proposal in early May 2026. I can assure you that its consideration will include all public submissions. The Heritage Council will provide its advice to the Hunter Regional Planning Panel, which is the final decision maker under the Environmental Planning and

Assessment Act 1979.

I know that the Baths are an important place for the swimming community and I thank you for raising these concerns.

If you have any further questions about this issue, you can contact Tim Smith OAM, Director Assessments, on

0419 648 933 or at tim.smith@dcceew.nsw.gov.au.

Yours sincerely

Sam Kidman

Executive Director