Concept proposal for mixed-use development with infill affordable housing-Edgecliff

Please find enclosed the submission endorsed by the Chairperson and Treasurer of the Strata Committee, representing the residents and owners of residential and commercial premises at 164 New South Head Rd, Edgecliff. It is noted that individual residents may choose to submit their own comments or submissions regarding specific personal issues. (Also submitted for SSD-77608714).

Letter attached.

Please refer to submission attached presented on behalf of Owners Corporation of SP 21608 (‘Eastpoint Tower’ at 180 Ocean Street, Edgecliff)

Please find attached our objection to this development proposal, along with a detailed justification for our position.

As a general comment, we have concerns about the consultation timeframes related to this project. Whether set by Woollahra Council, the developer, or the NSW Department of Planning, these timeframes have consistently been very short. Furthermore, community objections raised during the consultation process often seem to be overlooked, with key points not being addressed by the approving authorities. We sincerely hope that this time the process will be different, as anything less would undermine the integrity of the entire consultation process.

If the development rules were fair but strictly applied, LendLease would not have overpaid for land from the original developer. In such a scenario, there might have been an opportunity to deliver a more affordable housing project, which could have contributed to improving housing affordability in the area. However, the current process, as we understand it, seems to encourage land speculation, which neither reduces development costs nor supports the creation of affordable housing.

Rather, it appears to be alienating local communities by disregarding established design guidelines and pushing projects through without proper consideration. This approach seems both unsustainable and questionable by any standard, ultimately benefiting developers while undermining the broader community’s interests.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on SSD-76855210. Sydney Water's comments on SSD-76855210 and SSD-77608714 have been combined. Please contact [email protected] if you have any queries.

In addition to my previous submission, I would like to also add that the project will be too high from the point of view of the 'alley way' effect that it will create in that position especially in view of the current possibly 35 level development planned for the Edgecliff Centre redevelopment . The 2 aforementioned developments will create a 'canyon like' area there which I do not think aesthetically pleasing or desirable

The project is too high and will impede my outlook to the south and also potentially invade my privacy.

More importantly the project is too big with too many cars from the planned residents and commercial element of the planned project accessing the planned property from Darling Point Road right next to the intersection of New South Head Road. Darling Point Road is not particularly wide at that point and in any case I don't think it would matter if it was wide, because of the number of cars coming down Darling Point Road to either go straight ahead or turn left or right.
This aforementioned traffic is generated by the Ascham School, and also cars that "rat run" in a westerly direction across Double Bay and up Greenoaks Avenue instead of continuing along New South Head Road up from Double Bay to Edgecliff.
There is a planned traffic island to be built on Darling Point Road near the corner of New South Head Road I believe and this will be difficult too. i am not sure if it will stop residents of Ranelagh at 3-17 Darling Point Road from accessing their property property by turning right on Darling Point Road when they are travelling in a Northern direction along Darling Point Road - for example when they have left Edgecliff Centre on new Mclean St and are travelling across New South Head Road and up Darling Point Road?

This area is already highly congested at almost all times of the day Vehicles accessing New South Head Road from Darling Point road even now only move at 4 or 5 at a time New McClean st is a major access to Edgecliff Centre Shops Offices and transport This is a constant jam of traffic
New South Head Road is the main artery to the Eastern suburbs and this Edgecliff cross section is a ongoing headache And all this without a multi story building proposed with more people and more traffic needing access
This development makes no sense without enormous and expensive changes to the current infrastructure

Will this considerably negatively impact my apartment? Yes. Will it take it from a beautiful view of the city skyline to a dark wall directly outside the balcony? Yes. Will this block almost all light into a heritage building that already has a damp problem? Yes. Is the team that put together the VIA for this property potentially negligent? Yes. But people deserve a place to live more than the wealthy deserve fancy views, I've watched this development fumble its way through trying to increase density in this area, making concession after concession. It certainly had an uphill battle with the residents here who are not the most egalitarian. But this is a lovely area that I live in, convenience unmatched, and well overdue for development, and I think that should be able to be shared with more people having the opportunity to live here.

I have grave concerns about the impact on the streetscape, particularly changing from a historical streetscape to modern high rise.
1 - the height of the buildings being proposed is significantly greater than existing, dramatically changing the streetscape for the worse. 17 stories is excessive.
2 - the heritage interest in buildings 140-148 New South Head Road was dismissed. These are Queen Anne buildings which do hold historical architectural merit. These buildings can never be replaced. Internally they contain craftsmanship from the arts and craft era including extensive woodwork which will be lost forever.

Further the affordable housing component appears token in order to gain approval for a large development. The description as infill development is also misleading - it is not filling in unused land, rather it is demolishing historical buildings for profit.