Residential development with In-fill affordable housing - East Walker Street, North Sydney

This area has too many high rise apartments, developing east walker st will block the natural sunlight to a lot of apartments within the area.

I welcome development that adds value to a community, affordable housing relieves the stress of buying extra luxury that doesn’t necessarily add function or tangible benefit. While risks associated with government housing such as increased risks of crime or ghetto blocks, the idea of government housing works if there are jobs and a circular economy of people that require each others services. I believe there is plenty of capacity for growth in North Sydney, the increase in public transport makes getting to all part of Sydney quite convenient. I doubt the people on the eastern side of the miller building will be pleased about losing their view, and over shadowing should be a consideration with a 20 storey tower being crowded by two 30 story towers overlooking the best view of the building. On this basis I think that exact spot is not ideal and a bit unfair by the government. Maybe a compromise that some view will be made available by position the two towers so the miller people can see between them.

I am a resident in one of the apartment blocks along Miller street and object to Residential Development with affordable housing East Walker Street.

The proposed building will comprise the other surrounding buildings by excessive overshadowing. Furthermore, facing the freeway and high possibility of dust build up will be a concern for future residents if the building were to be constructed.

The thing about North Sydney is that the buildings follows the peak and troughs of the undulating terrain so that it still looks consistent, however the proposed building will look to defy that.

Also, there are obvious and significant existing traffic issues due to the numerous one way street and not to mention the schools surrounding the area, which causes traffic to go into gridlock often.

This traffic will be exacerbated with the development that proposes 294 vehicles, on top of Aura’s (168 Walker Street) 300-plus vehicles and 45 McLaren Street’s 100-plus vehicles, and not to mention the Western Harbour Tunnel.

Furthermore, garbage trucks currently have to reverse down the single entry lane and if the project were to go ahead, access for construction vehicle access will be an impossibility, and the construction management plan is simplistic. This will cause the existing critical issue of extremely difficult first responder access and/or emergency egress from Hampden Street to be even worse.

Also, the previous view analysis report clearly outlines and confirms view loss from up to 1000 apartments in at least 8 residential buildings in Walker and Miller Streets, which is unfair and I urge you to take this seriously in your consideration.

Lastly, CBUS property had taken this proposal through North Sydney Council since 2022 and have had their proposal rejected due to the fact that they were unable to articulate how their property will contribute to our community. They are now clearly trying to circumvent the Council process with almost no changes made to their initial plan. As a local resident, I strongly maintain that this updated proposal does not help define nor improve the character of North Sydney.

Thank you for your time and please do not hesitate to reach out if you wanted more clarity in any of the above points and consideration.

I am writing this as an objection to the proposed residential development of 173 Walker Street, as a resident of the suburb who will be directly impacted by this development should it proceed. For this to become an ‘affordable housing’ project is a cynical and farcical attempt and navigating around the existing channels which have to date, strongly opposed the proposed development of this site.

There are many reasons why this property will be a net-negative for the local area, not limited to the below:

Landscape:
The building completely disrespects the surrounding areas, with excessive overshadowing of adjoining dwellings and compromises the amenities provided to buildings directly adjacent.
Further. the building height does not provide an appropriate transition of building heights from the existing CBD, especially given the heights of surrounding buildings.
The topography of the land makes this location an eyesore and doesn't respect the current gradient of heights from the central CBD area versus the heritage feel of the units in the area proposed.
Traffic
Traffic is already an issue during peak periods, and is proposed on a one way lane with a dead-end, with pedestrian and vehicle access dangerous at nearby intersections.
Existing roads are narrow (Walker St in particular) with no scope for expansion.
This does not allow for appropriate turning circles or navigation during school zones due to nearby schools (and further, schools under construction)
This is already due to be compounded by the current new development at 168 Walker street.
Public services (Fire/Ambulance/Garbage disposal, etc) will have very limited access when required to access and is asking for trouble.
Construction will render this area a no-go zone for any locals travelling due to how hard it will be to navigate.
Heritage areas cannot be moved and as such, there is alternative method to get around these issues.

View
View analysis previously shared confirms view loss from up to 1000 apartments in at least 8 residential buildings in Walker and Miller Streets and would fail the Tenacity principles if challenged.

Overall, while usually a supporter of development in suitable areas, this proposal does not help define or improve the character of North Sydney, and I fail to see any counterpoints that would improve the area.

I strongly object to this project.
We live in unit 906 East of 221 Miller Street , this project will significantly block our sunlight and view. We are already impacted by AURA aqualand , now this building will completely take our view which we have bought with hard earned money and drop our property price .This will affect our daily life blocking the sunlight , we will not even get minimum sunlight which we don't even get in winter after AURA is built .We are already surrounded by such big buildings, can't imagine one more big building just opposite to us face to face .CBUS has tried to use the word "affordable" just to get this application approved , they have not even looked into the list of objections we did for DA 197/22. They did not address any of the resident concerns .
Traffic is another big concern already. We are in a congested junction where we have AURA, such a big building plus a new school. Most of the time it's so problematic to even drive.
We are lacking open space in North Sydney , it's already congested , we have to look at our future and environment before considering this application.
I request the council to reject this CBUS proposal immediately and listen to residents' concerns. This EAST Walker Street is a continuous objection from all the buildings around but still they are trying in the name of "affordable housing" negatively impacting the current residents.
Happy to discuss the concerns over call or meeting if needed.

Traffic will be hazardous if project is approved.As it is with all the current developments around Walker/Maclaren and Berry Streets, traffic is already chockers especially during school breaks around 3.00pm.

This is an expanded project from the one that tried for approval in late 2017 which was for a 47 storey tower on the site 173-179 Walker Street and which, after a handful of objectors including me spoke, was voted on at a North Sydney full Council meeting on Monday night 19 February 2018. It was rejected 10-0. An appeal lost. Later a revised proposal with less floors was rejected too. Yet another proposal, this one adding 11-17 Hampden Street, and it too ran into objectors including North Sydney Council (NSC).
This new one bypasses NSC by including 'affordable housing,' something the NSW government likes.
But the substance of my previous objections still remains.
Top of my list is TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
Replacing the old SAP commercial building at 168 Walker Street that had 220 car spaces, is a mostly residential complex that has 372 car spaces for residents. That's an increase of over 150 more cars on the road.
Allowing an additional almost 300 car spaces on Walker Street [figure being 294] would make traffic on Walker Street intolerable because already the traffic congestion is at an unacceptable level. I'll explain.
The bottleneck is the intersection at Walker and Berry Streets.
The cycle of traffic lights there is such that SOUTH-bound traffic on Walker Street have the least amount of time in seconds to go through - 6 seconds on green that permits 6-8 cars to get through, leaving a tailback all the way back up to Ridge Street in peak hours. [See attached intersection diagram, and photo of the tailback.]
Of course, the 4-lanes east-bound traffic on Berry Street has the largest exposure to green lights, followed by the LH north-bound lane on Walker Street, then the middle east-bound lanes on Walker Street leaving last (and least) in the cycle, south-bound lanes on Walker Street.
It is not possible to widen either Walker or Berry Streets. It's fixed.
Cars leaving my 138 Walker Street building during that period cannot turn right (southbound) because of the blocked line of traffic. Cars are therefore forced to turn left.
Returning home one day I went via McLaren Street and had to pause at the Walker Street intersection because my path ahead was blocked by the line of cars on Walker Street. It took me 35 minutes to travel appx 60 meters to get home.
Additionally, 41 McLaren Street, originally a commercial building, is being renovated and converted into a school. This will add more traffic in the area including Walker Street, i.e. more traffic congestion.
I urge you to drive to North Sydney, enter Walker Street via Bridge or McLaren Streets at around 4pm on a normal school weekday and experience the awful traffic congestion for yourself. In that way you will properly understand what I am talking about.
Next is FIRE AND SAFETY.
in December 2017 there was a FIRE emergency that resulted in FIRE trucks dispatched to the location of a property in Hampden Street. Fortunately, it was a false alarm but as can be seen in one attached photo there was little to no room for maneuvering those large FIRE trucks at that time. It’s an untenable situation. A real fire in a 239-unit apartment building would result in horrific deaths because of the inability of firemen to do their job through lack of access for their trucks. This is INTOLERABLE and A SAFETY HAZARD. [See pic of East Walker Street showing how narrow it is.]
The congestion caused by just one FIRE Truck would prevent all and any people trying to escape the building in their cars because they’d be blocked from escaping. Also UNACCEPTABLE.
Next is VIEWS.
A main selling point of my apartment was the VIEW. I could see Sydney Harbour, and the Lower North Shore. On Boxing Day I can see the start lines of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, but NOT if this project is given a green light.
As an airline pilot I was cognizant of when Full Moons would appear. A most beautiful sight to see one rising which I can do from my apartment in the NE corner of Belvedere at 138 Walker Street. But NOT if this project is given the green light.
Next is PROPERTY VALUE
A building such as the one proposed would have a big detrimental effect on all property values in Belvedere (138 Walker Street) as well as nearby buildings. Instead of the value of my apartment going up incrementally year-on-year, it would go down if this proposal were to be approved and built. I do not want it built.
Next is OVERSHADOW/BLOCKED SUNLIGHT
This proposal would be harmful to the way of life in my building. Early morning sunlight streaming into my apartment would be blocked until the sun was high. People currently enjoy the forecourt area of it where there is a well-established café with tables and chairs and good patronage. Such a building would be harmful because of the overshadow it would cast on the patrons and the blocked of sunlight that I and fellow residents in Belvedere currently enjoy.
Next is PRIVACY
All the east-facing balconies, especially those on the NE corner of Belvedere (138 Walker Street), are secure from prying eyes. One can sunbake, in whatever attire or lack thereof, without fear of being spied upon. Same goes for small private parties held on those balconies. That would be destroyed were this proposal to be approved.
Next is HERITAGE GROUP
The Victorian Era terraces comprising 2-14 Hampden Street are Heritage Listed. They are opposite to where this proposed project would replace what were Heritage Listed houses. Within 100m of 2 Hampden Street are several other Heritage Listed buildings, including one block of units that’s actually called The Heritage. For the people living in 2-14 Hampden Street this project would be devastating they told me and ruin their lifestyle absolutely. It would seem that the authorities don’t care about Heritage buildings anymore, that as long as developers can squeeze more people into an already congested area and make a fortune doing it, then that’s okay. IT’S NOT OKAY!
K Regards,
John Seymour, 1802 Belvedere, 138 Walker Street, North Sydney.

North Sydney has already had alot of high rise apartments in the past years, by developing another one on East walker street will also block the natural sunlight to majority of apartments on the opposite side of walker street.

Building A is twice the height of our building (88 Berry Street) and is very close to our building. We (west side apartment) will lose ALL daylight and privacy, and will be in shadow every hour of the day every month of the year. We will have almost no view of the sky at all, and the general view will be dominated by the close rear of Building A. This building should be LOWER and set further away from 88 Berry Street (like in the previous proposal), and there should be more landscaping and contouring to soften the impact and provide more privacy for residents in both buildings (like in the previous proposal). We are also concerned about the impact the new development may have on the limited street parking currently available. We also believe that all new large developments should include retail and hospitality and personal services spaces (such as in the previous proposal) in order to keep the neighbourhood vibrant and we are concerned this has been left out of this proposal.

To Whom It May Concern:
We object to the proposed development on several accounts.
• The proponent has evidenced limited knowledge of the street.
• The Traffic Impact Assessment is flawed, factually incorrect at times, and ignores the holistic traffic situation at the proposed developments front door.
• Civil Safety
• Our lifestyle investment is “diminished”.
• We bought into a building that specifically stated the other side of Walker Street (173-179) was Heritage
• The socioeconomic impact in the area needs to be considered.

Please see attached document for full objection and evidence to the bullet point items above.

Susan and Harold Henderson
138 Walker Street,
North Sydney. NSW. 2060

Please see attached Word Document, detailing the impact of the proposed development, and my consequent objections. I thank you for taking the time to consider the submission.

I OBJECT to this proposed development for the following points:

1. TRAFFIC and SAFETY: Currently the intersection of Berry Street and Walker Street is one of the busiest in the city (without the added traffic of the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade). The recent addition of 387 units and 200+ carparks at the AURA North Sydney (168 Walker Street), the local roads are more than saturated with existing traffic. The local roads will not be capable to handle any further increase from a substantial development like the proposed one without a significant upgrade. The width of Walker Street is limited to one lane up and down from Ridge Street to McLaren Street. There are currently permanent on street parking on both sides. Walker Street then narrows down to a one way lane from McLaren Street to the intersection of Berry Street and Walker Street (on the north to south side). Every morning, this single lane is packed with parents delivering their children to the schools nearby. There had been tremendous complaints from nearby buildings about blocked traffic and illegal parkings blocking access to driveways. There are also a number of schools in the close proximity of this development. My children currently walk to school and my wife and I will be worried that such increased traffic with trucks and trades vehicles (especially at our doorstep) will be a danger to our children.

2. SUNLIGHT and SHADOWING: Under section 5.0 of the Scoping Report, there are a series of diagrams showing the effect of the potential shadowing of this development to the neighbouring community. The diagram clearly shows that after 12pm, the shadow of this project will complete cast over 88 Berry Street. The diagrams shows a complete encapsulation of 88 Berry Street on any normal day. This is a serious deprivation of enjoyment of sunlight for the residents of 88 Berry Street. More importantly, this shadow is extended into the interaction and ramps at the end of 88 Berry Street. This may become hazardous to public transport and pedestrians. The lack of sufficient daylight may result in an increase in accidents. The inclusion of this shadow study is already evidence to the compromises that such development will have on the neighbouring community.

3. NOISE and VIBRATION: Currently, our community is enduring the roadworks and drilling of the Western Harbour Tunnel ("WHT") and Warringah Freeway Upgrades ("WFU"). Since these are public works, there is a degree of tolerance and respect. However the proposed development is not for public interest, rather it is creating a scenario where there will be periodic nuisances (for example, but not limited to, noise and vibration) and permanent degradation to the living condition of the neighborhood (for example, but not limited to, the shadows and traffic). As the WHT and WFU will not be completed before 2028, does it make sense to add further stress to the residents within this pocket of North Sydney? It baffles me as to how the NSW Government will even entertain this project at this point of time.

4. PARKING (ON WALKER STREET): 88 Berry Street was built without any visitor parking - some residents do not have parking within the building. Therefore we all rely on the nearby on street parking on Walker Street for our vehicles, visitors and even trades persons. This proposed development will eliminate the parking spaces closest to our building - plus adding another 263 units (which mainly are 2 bedrooms or above). Logically, these dwellings will be housing families with children (rather singles or couples with no child). The Scoping Report did not specify the number of parking spaces available for this proposed development. However if we take AURA North Sydney as an example, there will not be enough on street parking. This will create an unfair situation for current residents in the neighborhood. From my understanding, the North Sydney Council does not have any future plans for expanding on street parking in the area. Therefore introducing more permanent vehicles in this area is irresponsible.

5. INFERIOR DESIGN: The current proposal is actually a step back from the last submitted plans by the proposed developer. Previously the proposed developer engaged the neighbouring community with the proposition of a "rejuvenated" Little Walker Street where there will be shops, cafes and restaurants. Instead, the current proposed design has replaced such an ideation to a block of affordable housing. It is not hard to see through such guise that this is a bypass of normal procedures (which has previously been dealt with as a council matter) and trying to falsely elevate the status of this proposed development to a state significant project.

6. PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENTS: The previous developers of this proposed development had made multiple applications to push this development forward. However it is evidenced that there is a huge expectation gap between the proposed developer and the neighbouring community with regards to the environmental impact of this area. Clearly the proposed developer did not take the comments and suggestions from the neighbouring community seriously. Instead an inferior design plan is now submitted to the NSW Government, hoping to bypass local consultation and suggestions. I believe a number of residents in the neighborhood had submitted multiple submissions (similar to this) and would like to see the proposed developer proactively address the concerns of the neighborhood.

I would like to stress that I am not against progress nor anti-developement. However the proposed developer and its predecessors have not fully addressed and implement measures to the satisfaction of the neighborhood.

The enormous scale of the proposed residential / commercial development at East Walker Street is a 30+storey monolith, which establishes an unprecedented over development assault on the amenity of the Walker Street area and the original vision of the Ward Street Precinct Master Plan. In short, the proposed development negatively impacts residential views, creates extensive over shadowing of neighbouring properties, produces unwanted traffic congestion and safety risks for emergency services - all of which significantly reduces the quality of life and importantly, the property values of current local residents. The overall fabric of the area will be permanently scared by an oversized building which 'bullies' existing owners and facilities due to its dominant disproportional footprint, height and span of influence. This proposed residential development should not be seriously considered, simply because it has now re-submitted its hostile development intentions as an 'affordable housing' opportunity. While the development proposal endeavours to justify its presence on Walker Street, it fails to respect the
lifestyle, infrastructure and amenity needs of numerous neighbouring residential buildings, including : The Belvedere, The Heritage, McLaren Apartments, The Harvard, Vantage Residences and The Miller. The Aura Apartments are nearing completion and new approved developments are under construction at 41 McLaren Street (a Private School) and at 45 McLaren Street (another Residential Development). Given all of this already approved development congestion, it is an appalling disregard of sensible, integrated town planning to allow such an imposing building to be constructed, which will dwarf and smother every other surrounding dwelling. An additional 294 car parks will be added to an already congested traffic precinct. One winner - Cbus, many losers - hundreds of local residents. The proposal acknowledges the unacceptable view loss and shadowing by suggesting 'it could be worse' if their earlier'non-affordable housing' plans were accepted. Little comfort to those residents losing long held vista and harbour views by a minimum of 55%. There are no benefits to the North Sydney community from the construction of this flawed proposal - it needs to be redesigned as a complementary low rise addition to Walker Street landscape. The infrastructure consequences of this proposal proceeding are enormous - constant traffic gridlock, a dark inaccessible streetscape, poor ventilation, safety and emergency services chaos and a significant loss of lifestyle amenity and property values of neighbouring properties. Please reject this proposal and support the North Sydney community.

I am very concerned about the increase of traffic which will be using Walker Street with this proposed project. I believe traffic may well be gridlocked at the beginning of School Hours and at the end of School Hours. There is a proposal for a new school in the area which will be open in 2025 therefore creating more traffic at school times. There is a large stone wall at the lower end of Walker Street which cannot be moved as it is a heritage wall from Convict days. There will be an increase in traffic when the new 3 residential blocks - Aqualand are opened in the next few months. If this project is approved traffic entering Walker Street will be a danger to traffic travelling south to the intersection of Berry and Walker Street. I live in Century Plaza which is located on the Corner of Berry and Walker Streets and currently due to traffic I often cannot access the driveway to the garages in my high rise building. Although there are lines drawn across the road to advise traffic we still have cars blocking the entry and exit of our building. I am concerned about the ability of Emergency Services - i.e. Fire, Ambulance and Police to be able to access any building in Walker Street due to the obvious influx of traffic with this project.

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed State Significant Development (SSD) at East Walker Street, North Sydney. While I acknowledge the need for affordable housing, this particular development raises several significant concerns that must be addressed before proceeding.

1. Environmental Impact: The construction of two large residential buildings with extensive basement levels poses a serious threat to the local environment especially with the removal of 26 mature trees, adversely affecting local biodiversity. Moreover, the increased density and concrete structures will contribute to the urban heat island effect, further exacerbating climate change impacts.
2. Reduced Sunlight and Shadowing: One of the most pressing concerns is the significant reduction in natural sunlight for existing residences and public spaces in my building. The height and bulk of the new buildings will cast long shadows over my building and nearby streets, particularly during the winter months when sunlight is already limited. This loss of sunlight can have several adverse effects, including:
- Health Impacts: Reduced sunlight exposure can negatively affect the mental and physical health of residents, leading to issues such as vitamin D deficiency and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
- Energy Consumption: With less natural light, residents will be forced to use artificial lighting more frequently, leading to higher energy consumption and increased utility bills.
- Loss of Amenity: The reduction in sunlight will diminish the enjoyment of outdoor spaces, gardens, and public parks, impacting the overall quality of life for local residents.
3. Traffic and Infrastructure Strain: North Sydney is already experiencing significant traffic congestion. The addition of 239 dwellings will undoubtedly increase the number of vehicles on the road, leading to further traffic issues and increased pollution. The local infrastructure, including roads, public transport, and essential services, may not be equipped to handle this additional load, resulting in deteriorated service quality for existing residents.
4. Community Character: The proposed high-density development is inconsistent with the existing character of the North Sydney community. This area is known for its relatively low-density housing and community-oriented environment. The scale of this development threatens to disrupt the social fabric of the neighborhood, leading to potential displacement of long-term residents and altering the community’s identity.
5. Appropriateness of Public Housing Location: Placing public housing in a prime land location like East Walker Street raises concerns about the optimal use of valuable urban space. Such prime locations should ideally be utilised for developments that can contribute significantly to the local economy and community facilities. Public housing can be integrated more effectively into areas where land values are lower, ensuring that resources are utilized in a way that maximizes social and economic benefits across the broader community.
6. Public Consultation and Transparency: While the development is currently in the exhibition stage, it is crucial that all community feedback is thoroughly considered. Many residents feel that their voices are not being heard, and there is a lack of transparency in how decisions are being made. Genuine community engagement is essential to ensure that developments align with the needs and desires of local residents.
7. Alternative Solutions: There are alternative approaches to providing affordable housing that do not involve such large-scale developments. Consideration should be given to smaller, more dispersed developments that integrate affordable housing into the existing urban fabric without overwhelming the local infrastructure and environment.

In conclusion, while the goal of increasing affordable housing is commendable, this particular development at East Walker Street presents several serious issues, including the significant reduction in sunlight and the appropriateness of the location, that outweigh its potential benefits. I urge the NSW Government to reconsider this proposal and explore alternative solutions that better align with the community’s needs and environmental sustainability goals.

Thank you for considering my submission.

I absolutely object to this plan, the construction is going to cause a lot of noise and dust outside our bedroom windows which will prevent us from opening the windows for fresh air and impact our privacy not to mention the noise disturbance. The ridiculously tall multi-storey building plan will also severely limit the amount of natural light we get through our windows and this impacts our comfort and quality of living.
Louisa

Please read this objection together with all my previous objections to this proposal. Nothing the developers have submitted changes the fundamental flaws associated with the project. They are merely adding the buzzwords “affordable housing” in a cynical move to get this proposal approved. It remains too big, too out of context, and too much for Walker Street to handle. Its contribution to the traffic chaos which already exists, the reduction of (already minimal) on street parking for services to assist residents, makes amenable living in this area an impossibility. Not to mention the particular loss of amenity to the residents of the low rise building at 150 Walker Street. The total obstruction of solar access for our building (which only receives light from that eastern perspective), will make living, and working from home in this building, a joyless affair. These developers are here to make money at the expense of many hundreds of homeowners. Their attempt at classing themselves a SSD in order to bypass council and the clear and strong objections of residents in the area, should be seen for the self interested move it really is. I uphold my previous objections in the strongest possible manner. Thank you