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

I object to the project based on my comments in the attached word document.

Dear Sir or Madam,
If you've ever experienced the traffic jam at the intersection of Walker street and Berry street in the morning, you would definitly object to this project. It was too horrbile! The path to the city is already too crowded. If a 30-storey residential building were been built here, which will cause more traffic jam for sure.
Besides, the capicity of this area is perfect now. If there were more residents in this area, may break the even.
Last but not least, the 30-storey building is too stunning over there. Maybe lower the height of the building would be better.
Regards
Ivy

I have gone thru the amended proposal. I am staying by my original view on objecting this project. Although there are amendments to help with the sun light but I am not convinced it will help. Also the reduction of the car park within the building will not help with the local traffic and it will worsen the situation and adding stress to the limited off street parking that will cause more danger to my girls walking back and forth to school. This does not improve the situation instead it aggravate the risk to all the school kids around this area. The local traffic will be worse off. The amended proposal does not address my original concerns.

As a resident next door to the proposed development I am concerned about the height and scale of the development. Walker St is a residential st and with increased traffic both on foot and car, it will have a large impact on the street. Height wise I am also very concered about overshadowing as the sun we receive is only from the northern aspect of our building which will potentially be blocked by 30 storeys. We do not get any sun as we are south facing in the living room and rely on the bedrooms receiving the northern sunlight.

Sadly, little has changed with this Development Proposal since my earlier Submission in July 2024, other than a reduction of the car parks to 218 + 263 bicycle spaces.
The 'Affordable Housing' component of the current Proposal (78 apartments) appears to be merely the 'gateway' for the construction of the 161 high-end residential apartments. Whereas. the 'Build to Rent' Proposal for nearby 146 Arthur Street - 46 Storey / 390 apartments - appears to be a more genuine attempt to address the 'affordable' residential requirements for North Sydney.

The sheer scale of this proposed 30-story development is in complete conflict with the current fabric and lifestyle amenity of the neighbouring North Sydney precincts.
The proposal negatively impacts well over 1,000 residences located in Hampden, Walker, McLaren, Berry, and Miller Streets in terms of - shadowing, view loss, vehicular access, and height imposition. It will literally overwhelm every other nearby building due to its horrendous monolithic construction and overall footprint.

In short, it is simply not a good 'fit' for the local community and despite the cynical 'Affordable Housing' positioning of the Proposal, it adds no value to the amenity of North Sydney. Rather it is poised to undermine heritage terraces on Hampden Street and create permanent havoc with the overall lifestyle flow of the area.

Traffic Congestion -

Current traffic challenges will be significantly amplified by this Proposed Development. There is already significant compression on traffic flow at the Walker Street / Berry Street intersection - the primary access / exit to this precinct.

Approved developments, including the new Aqualand residential building at 168 Walker Street (386 completed apartments), 45 McLaren Street (100 new apartments), the new Reddam School at 41 McLaren Street (opening in January 2025), the
57 storeys at 110 Walker Street and the impact of the Western Harbour Tunnel on-ramp - will all over burden the traffic flow. The area cannot sustain what is already in place let alone add to its demise with this Proposed Development.

There is also a serious safety risk of emergency services being able to access and leave this area in a timely manner - lives are at risk!

Loss of Vista and Views -

There will be unacceptable view loss to hundreds of apartments, including The Belvedere, The Heritage, McLaren Apartments, The Harvard, Vantage Residences, and The Miller. In many cases, existing homeowners and residents will be faced with total view loss from their front rooms and primary living areas. Property values will be negatively and unfairly impacted from this hideously oversized proposed development.

There is no equity in this proposed project. One winner - Cbus but many losers - hundreds of residents.

In Conclusion -

The local community sees no benefit, only destruction with the Proposed Cbus Development. It is an ill-considered, greedy, flawed commercial attempt to steal current residents of their hard-earned amenity and lifestyle, under the guise of 'affordable housing'.

As such it is clearly NOT in the public interest. It is contrary to sound urban planning principles, policy, and associated infrastructure processes.

I strongly request it be outright rejected by the NSW Planning Department.

Ausland cnr McLaren & Walker st has already impacted on this neighbourly community area of North Sydney - overshadowing homes & impacting us living in the area as pedestrian /vehicular /wheelchair traffic which is barely acceptable. Adding another high-rise will be an added demand on all services which are already stretched. Already the metro has opened access to unsavoury characters into this quiet community.

this development will cause serious congestion & impost on streets & parking in the area especially with current freeway work for the next 4yrs where traffic in Ridge st is already inconvenienced by their work hub

the high density application will be too big an impact on narrow single lane north & south Walker St which has a girls school 200M north which already causes heavy traffic congestion

The traffic on Walker St will be significantly impacted due to the current residential and commercial traffic as well as the numerous multi-storey apartment blocks already being built or approved. Walker St cannot withstand the addition of hundreds more cars. This part of the street is already very narrow with significant impact to the residents if all converging on Walker St.

To Whom It May Concern:

As a resident and owner within the Aura building in North Sydney, I am writing to formally object to the proposed large apartment complex at East Walker Street. This development, as currently planned, raises significant concerns regarding its impact on the character of the area, resident amenity, property values, and local traffic conditions. I urge the NSW Major Projects Department to reconsider the approval of this project in its current form.

Key Concerns:

Lack of Resident Consultation:
The Aura building was recently completed, and its residents have not been afforded adequate opportunity to participate in the consultation process for this proposed development at East Walker Street. This oversight contravenes the principles of community engagement as outlined in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act), which emphasizes the importance of public participation in environmental planning and assessment.

Incompatibility with Local Character:
The proposed building's scale and design are out of character with the established architectural landscape of North Sydney, particularly on East Walker Street. Such a development risks undermining the area's existing character, contrary to the objectives of the North Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2013, which mandates that new developments should harmonize with the desired future character of the locality.

Unreasonable View Loss and Amenity Impact:
The proposed development at East Walker Street threatens to obstruct views and diminish the amenity for Aura residents and others in surrounding properties. The Land and Environment Court's planning principle in Tenacity Consulting v Warringah Council [2004] NSWLEC 140 provides a framework for assessing view-sharing. This project fails to meet these principles, leading to unreasonable view loss and a substantial decline in property values for affected residents.

Traffic Congestion and Safety Concerns:
The cumulative effect of this project, along with the new Reddam School and the ongoing development at 41 McLaren Street, will exacerbate traffic congestion on the narrowest section of Walker Street. The anticipated gridlock poses significant safety and efficiency concerns. The Guide to Traffic Generating Developments by Transport for NSW underscores the necessity of adequately assessing and mitigating traffic impacts, which this proposal fails to achieve.

Potential for a More Appropriate Development:
A revised proposal featuring a significantly lower and smaller building would be more suitable for the site, aligning with the natural topography and surrounding properties. Such an adjustment would uphold the objectives of the EP&A Act by promoting sustainable development that balances environmental, social, and economic factors.

In light of these issues, I respectfully request that the NSW Major Projects Department reconsider the current proposal. A revised project must adequately address the concerns of existing residents and align with statutory planning principles and community expectations.

Thank you for your consideration.
Aura resident

Excessive Density
The proposed development's high-density design is inconsistent with the surrounding area's character, potentially leading to overcrowding.
Such density could overwhelm local infrastructure, including public transport, roads, and utilities, creating long-term strain on the community.
Proximity to Schools
The proposed site is too close to schools, which raises safety and logistical concerns due to increased vehicular and pedestrian traffic during school hours.
The construction phase will introduce noise, dust, and potential hazards, negatively impacting the learning environment and student safety.
Traffic and Parking Congestion
The increase in population from this development is likely to exacerbate existing traffic congestion, especially during peak school drop-off and pick-up times.
Limited on-site parking may spill over into surrounding streets, creating additional challenges for parents, students, and residents.
Impact on Local Amenities
The development's scale risks overburdening local parks, recreational facilities, and community resources that are already shared with nearby schools and residents.
Affordable housing needs to be balanced with adequate provisions for green spaces and infrastructure to support the incoming population.
Noise and Disruption
Ongoing construction work will generate significant noise and disruption, potentially affecting students' ability to concentrate and perform academically.
Post-completion, increased noise levels from a high-density population may negatively impact the surrounding quiet, residential area.
Inadequate Consultation
There has been insufficient community consultation regarding the scale and implications of this project, particularly with stakeholders such as school authorities and parents.
Potential Safety Hazards
The influx of a large population near a school zone increases risks of traffic accidents and reduced pedestrian safety, especially for young students.

I am concern that Walker Street will be turned into a carpark with no entry or exit.
I am also concern there is no information to address the air quality with increase in population density. There have been studies that increase in population will cause air quality to be detrimental to resident health. The three air pollutants are NO2, PM and O3 brought about by increase in traffic (new highways) and high population density. Air quality decreases with population density. The high air pollution will cause severe health problems most notably heart disease, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, lung cancer and respiratory infections.

I am writing to object to the current proposal for the East Walker Street development.
I am the owner of apartment 10-02 at the Belvedere property at 138 Walker Street.

I note that I did not submit an objection to the previous design noted in Figure 23 of the EIS dated 21/6/2024. Whilst we were obviously disappointed with the loss of views and solar access to the north east from our apartment, we understood that housing development must proceed to satisfy the growing demands of Sydney, and we saw this prior design as a reasonable compromise. We lost 50% approximately of our views and solar access from the prior design noted above, but retained good view amenity to the east. A reasonable compromise we believed.
We are devastated by the current proposal where we will lose effectively 100% of our amenity. We refer to The View and Visual Impact document where you will note:
- in Figure 35 from Level 12, the views in all directions north and east are severely effected.
- in Figure 41 from Level 13, similarly the views are severely effected.
We own apartment 10.02, so we have a very similar orientation as the apartment in Figure 41, but are 3 levels lower. We (and all apartments below us) will effectively lose all view amenity and we will feel like we are living in the center of a concrete jungle.

Again I note that we did not object to the prior design noted at the start of this email, as we believe life is about making reasonable compromises. However, the current design does not adopt this principle, and everybody below Level 12 at 138 Walker Street, will effectively lose all view amenity.

In a city that prides itself on its beauty, we believe aspects like this should be preserved as best as reasonable from public spaces, and also from the homes we live in. I have not focused in this email on the lose of value of our property, but more the amenity aspect in a city that is continually being degraded.

Mick Caddey

The proposed development is too high and too big.

This development significantly impacts our views and sense of space. We have just paid $2.5 MILLION to buy our apartment in Aura and this proposed construction size is too high and too big.

In addition, we are currently suffering with the developments across the road, and the freeway, and from a noise pollution perspective this and other planned major works construction will contribute and prolong that even further. The noise pollution at the moment is 6 days a week and is exorbitant. The freeway noise works are on top of this and can make this a 7 day a week scenario. The volumes are at times extreme and are certainly invasive.

The scope and size of the 30 storey building at 173-178 Walker Street is clearly inappropriate for the site. The plan has given no consideration to how it will fit into the surrounding environment and adjacent buildings, which are much smaller in scale.
In particular, the plan clearly impacts all residents of the Aura development (168 Walker St). We have just moved into our apartment. We purchased in the Aura apartments on the basis of the view that we would enjoy. We paid a premium for the opportunity to have an uninterrupted harbour view to the south.
The new development on 173-178 Walker St will clearly impact on our enjoyment of our new apartment and impact on the value of our investment.
Aura is only currently 40 per cent occupied, with many residents only having just moved in. Many Aura residents have not become aware of how the 173-178 Walker St development will impact on their investment.
I do not believe that the tight deadline for submissions provides due consultation for residents of the Aura development. I oppose this new development proceeding without significant adjustments to the scale of the project.

This revision to the original proposal is "a nonsense" to say the least. CBUS property have (apart from car parking) simply submitted a revision to their original proposal in an attempt to be able to state that the objections to the original DA have dissipated. In doing so they are "hood winking" the bureaucracy that is the approving authority, and must be realised, and should not detract from the original objections.
As for the Car parking reductions, this cannot be explained with any logic. Australian's answer to travel does not lay within public transport. Urban Australian residence rely on vehicles, and to build a development of this size, with limited car parking cannot logically be explained, unless the proponent and the approving authority envisage over crowding on North Sydney streets as it pertains to car parking.
Needless to say, I object to this proposed amendment, and my original objection still stands.

I strongly object to the proposed development application:
Residential with Affordable Housing - East Walker St, North Sydney (SSD-671754465)

• The proposed height of the building being 30 stories is completely out of character for the surrounding topography of the area.

• The building zone is bounded by Walker Street and Hampden Street. The only entrance / exit is via Walker Street which at this junction point is only wide enough for one car in each direction.

• All parking in Hampden Street which is a dead-end street and access to this area will quite possibly be restricted to accommodate heavy construction trucks. The residents in the terraces in Hampden Street directly opposite the development will more than likely be denied access.

• Walker Street has nearly reached saturation point in traffic during peak periods with the completion of the Aura development in Walker Street, the opening in January 2025 of the new school in McLaren Street and the demolition and construction of 45 McLaren Street adjourning the corner of Walker Street.

• The surrounding buildings which are all directly West of the development will see a marked decrease in direct sunlight for upwards of six months along with a complete shadow effect.

• The development is marked as “Affordable Housing” and although I believe this wording is what the developers are counting on, I question at what price is “affordable housing” going to be priced at with such close proximity to North Sydney CBD and Sydney City, with harbor views. Affordable housing developments should not be located in North Sydney, the land value alone makes it a ridiculous notion

We are new owner of Aura at 168 Walker Street. The proposed building is too big and too high. We understand that it is unlikely to be stopped, but it must be scaled back to be less bulky and less high. The current water view and natural green environment of my apartment will definitely be blocked. This is extremely unfair to us as well as people who are buying now and moving in over the next year, will lose their Opera House, Bridge and Harbour Views without any opportunity to object.

Dear officer,
As an existing residence who is living in this area for years, I am strongly object to this high-density residential development in an already crowded North Sydney local government area. The new exhibition changes are very minor. The issues are still there as following reasons:

1. Traffic Congestion: the developments will result in increased traffic congestion, longer commute times, higher levels of pollution, and greater stress on public transportation systems.
2. Overcrowded Public Services: Schools, hospitals, and other public services
Noise Pollution: Increased noise levels
3. Parking Shortages: Increased population density can exacerbate parking issues, making it difficult for residents and visitors to find adequate parking spaces and leading to illegal parking and associated problems.
4. Quality of Life: Overall quality of life for current residents may be negatively impacted by the increased noise, traffic, and reduced availability of public amenities and green spaces.
5. Infrastructure Strain: Increased population density can place a significant strain on existing infrastructure, including roads, public transportation, water supply, sewage systems, and waste management services, leading to potential breakdowns or overuse.

I hope the above interpretation is given serious consideration, and that we can maintain North Sydney as a better place to live and a sustainable place to grow.

Kind Regards