Planning proposals
Nowra Riverfront Precinct
Shoalhaven
The NSW Government is taking action to increase the supply of affordable low, medium and high-density housing, along with social housing, to meet the needs of our growing and diverse populations now and in the future.
The Shoalhaven Local Government Area is expected to grow by over 43,000 people by 2041. To plan for this growth, we’re taking proactive steps to ensure that this community continues to have access to new homes.
The state-led rezoning proposal for the Nowra Riverfront Precinct was finalised on Friday 19 June 2026, and new planning controls are now in effect. We’d like to thank everyone who provided feedback on the proposal during the public exhibition period.
Key features of the finalised Nowra Riverfront Precinct rezoning include:
- capacity for up to 377 new homes
- 2 per cent affordable housing requirement, enabling up to 7 affordable homes to be delivered
- building heights between 5 and 12 storeys
- floor space ratios of between 0.6:1 and 2:1.
For more information, please view the finalisation report included below.
Further flood modelling will be undertaken for land along the riverfront to enable flood risk, evacuation arrangements and off-site impacts to be fully considered during detailed design at the development application stage. The Department and Shoalhaven City Council have also committed to jointly fund a study to further investigate sewer and water servicing capacity in both precincts.
A separate rezoning proposal for land near Mandalay Avenue located within the broader Nowra Riverfront Precinct has also been finalised. For more information on this rezoning, please visit the Mandalay Sub-Precinct page.
Shoalhaven City Council will now prepare a Development Control Plan for the rezoned sites. This must occur before development can commence within the Nowra Riverfront Precinct.
Exhibition documents
Exhibition documents
- Explanation of Intended Effect
- Urban Design Report
- Economic Feasibility Study
- Detailed Integrated Transport and Traffic Plan
- Non-Indigenous Heritage Review
- Aboriginal Objects Due Diligence Assessment
- Nowra Riverfront Precinct Integrated Transport Plan
- Flood Impact and Risk Assessment
- Nowra Riverfront Activation Plan and Consultation Report
- Designing with Country Framework
- Final Constraints Assessment Report
- Proposed LEP maps
- Integrated Water Cycle Management Plan
Finalisation Documents
Finalisation Documents
Submissions
Submissions
- Community Submission - 1
- Community Submission - 2
- Community Submission - 3
- Community Submission - 4
- Community Submission - 5
- Community Submission - 6
- Community Submission - 7
- Community Submission - 8
- Community Submission - 9
- Community Submission - 10
- Community Submission - 11
- Community Submission - 12
- Community Submission - 13
- Community Submission - 14
- Community Submission - 15
- Community Submission - 16
- Community Submission - 17
- Community Submission - 18
- Community Submission - 19
- DCCEEW submission on Nowra Riverfront Rezoning Proposal December 25
- DCCEEW submission on Nowra Riverfront Rezoning Proposal December 25(2)
- REDACTED - Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District submission on Nowra Riverfront Rezoning
- SES submission on Nowra Riverfront and Mandalay Sub-Precinct Rezoning Proposal
- SES submission on Nowra Riverfront and Mandalay Sub-Precinct Rezoning Proposals
- Shoalhaven City Council Submission - Explanation of Intended Effect Nowra Riverfront Precinct
- Shoalhaven City Council Submission - Explanation of Intended Effect Nowra Riverfront Precinct(2)
-
TfNSW submission on Nowra Waterfront and Mandalay Precinct
Panel Report
Panel Report