Kiama Council has rejected a new offer by developer Nicholas Daoud to buy its Akuna St/Mitre 10 site.

The offer, considered at the August Council meeting, was for a development that did not contain the supermarket component of the original contract.

“We are not selling to Mr Daoud and at this stage won’t be negotiating with anybody at all,” says Council’s General Manager Kerry McMurray.

In the meantime, Mr Daoud is continuing the process of getting his DA for the site approved by the Joint Regional Planning Panel. The DA is still ‘live’ despite the sales contract being dead, as owner’s permission cannot be withdrawn once given.

“In my mind it defies logic why, if you are not being sold the property, you would keep progressing the DA, but that is his entitlement,” says Mr McMurray.

As part of this process, once Mr Daoud lodges his new plans, which incorporate the Panel’s suggestions from the April hearing, they will be put on public exhibition.

Mr Daoud declined to make a comment ahead of further meetings with Council.