Residential flat buildings with infill affordable housing -10, 14 and 14a Stanhope Road, Killara

The owners of 12 Stanhope Road object to the Proposed Development for the reasons provided in the attached letter of objection.

Please see my attached document endorsing considered, integrated and strategic urban planning over the proposed opportunistic developer-led project.

I would like to formally object to the proposed residential development with in-fill affordable housing at 10-14A Stanhope Road Killara (SSD-81890707). As a resident of Stanhope Road Killara, I am deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts this development may have on our beloved neighbourhood.
1. Traffic Congestion and safety hazards
Stanhope Road is a residential street that is already under strain and I would say already exceeds capacity during school and commuting hours. The proposed development will funnel a substantial volume of additional traffic onto a narrow, two-way road not designed to handle such intensity. This raises serious safety risks for residents, pedestrians and cyclists. The development will also likely increase vehicle queuing and congestion at the Pacific Highway intersection, further compounding transport pressure across Killara.
2. Heritage and Community Character
The proposed development is completely out of character with the surrounding built environment and would erode the heritage fabric of Stanhope Road. It falls within a Heritage Conservation Zone valued for its low density and cohesive architectural identity. It not only isolates and undermines 12 Stanhope Road Killara which is a heritage property but also contradicts the Kuring-Gai Councils preferred alternative scenario to the TOD.
Approving this SSD would be of great disappointment and would damage public trust. For the above mentioned reasons, I strongly urge the Department to refuse this SSD (SSD 81890707).

I would like to object to the proposed residential development with in-fill affordable housing at 10-14A Stanhope Road Killara (SSD-81890707). As a resident of Stanhope Road Killara, I am deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts this development may have on our community and environment.
1. Traffic Congestion: The proposed development is likely to significantly increase traffic congestion on Stanhope Road which is already a huge concern for residents and poses safety risks for pedestrians and cyclists. With over 190 car spaces in the development, will cause severe congestions.
2. Community Character: The scale and design of the proposed development are not in keeping with existing character of Stanhope Road and would significantly impact the heritage of our neighbourhood.
3. Isolation of 12 Stanhope Road Killara, heritage-listed house right in front and adjacent to the proposed development. 12 Stanhope Road Killara is a valued part of our suburb’s architectural and historical legacy. Heritage significant does not exist in isolation – it is dependent on the setting, scale and spatial relationships of its surrounding. The proposed development, from design, to scale and density are wholly out of character within the surround low-density heritage conservation zone of Stanhope and Killara in general.
4. Minimal engagement attempts made by Developer to the community: Neither did myself or my neighbour receive the community flyers from the developer (which explains the poor turn up rate at their community drop-in session). I was informed by the development just a few days ago by a concerned neighbour on Stanhope Road.
I strongly urge that this SSD application (SSD-81890707) for 10-14A Stanhope Road must be put on hold until an agreement is reached between Kuring-gai Council and NSW State Government. This is because the Councils preferred alternative TOD (which was publicly exhibited) suggests that the whole Stanhope Road Heritage Conservation Area would be preserved. Thus, this SSD would be completely out-of-line.

Please find my objection to this proposal attached.

Kind regards,
Nicholas Rogers

I live directly opposite the proposed development. I believe it is incompatible with other residences in Stanhope Road, is far too high, and will create excessive traffic during and after construction. See attached document - "SSD Objection".

Clashes with the look of the street, and will introduce too much traffic that the surrounding area is not equipped for. It wont provide affordable housing.

I write to formally object to the proposed State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for 10, 14, and 14A Stanhope Road, Killara. While I support appropriate development to meet community needs, this proposal is fundamentally flawed in scale, design, context, and process. It should not proceed in its current form.
1. Inappropriate Scale and Zoning Conflict
The proposed development, seeking to build 135 apartments up to 35 metres in height, is grossly incompatible with the surrounding R2 low-density residential zoning. My own property, zoned R2 and limited to a 9.5-metre building height, would be entirely surrounded by 5–10 storey apartments with no effective transition between R2 and R4 zones. This stark contrast in built form constitutes overdevelopment and results in visual dominance, overshadowing, and a significant loss of residential amenity.
This type of development is also inconsistent with Ku-ring-gai Council’s alternative Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) strategy, which envisions lower-scale development in this precinct. Approval would set a dangerous precedent for incompatible intensification in otherwise low-density areas.
2. Design Failures and Architectural Merit
The architectural design lacks merit and fails to meet the Apartment Design Guide (ADG) principles. The excessive number of apartments per floor and minimal setbacks have resulted in monolithic building forms with poor articulation and large, blank facades. The scale, bulk, and form are unrefined and visually intrusive, with minimal regard for integration into the existing streetscape or heritage context. These characteristics should have disqualified the project from approval via the State Design Panel.
Furthermore, the reliance on long, singular internal corridors for resident access raises legitimate safety concerns regarding emergency egress, potentially creating dangerous bottlenecks during evacuations.
3. Impact on Amenity: Overshadowing and Privacy
The submitted shadow diagrams are limited in scope, lacking any seasonal context or comprehensive assessment. My property will experience severe overshadowing and loss of natural light. Additionally, multiple balconies and windows from the proposed buildings will directly overlook my outdoor living spaces, seriously infringing on privacy.
4. Heritage and Streetscape Ignored
The development is wholly out of character with the existing streetscape and provides only token acknowledgment of nearby heritage-listed properties, such as 12 and 18 Stanhope Road. The demolition of Federation-era housing to make way for high-rise apartments disregards the established architectural character of the street and the heritage significance identified in the LEP.
5. Traffic and Infrastructure Impact
Traffic volumes on Stanhope Road and surrounding intersections, particularly at Culworth Avenue and the Pacific Highway, are already at capacity. The development provides no realistic mitigation or assessment of the increased traffic burden. The morning and afternoon peaks are already dangerous, particularly for commuters accessing Killara Station or making hazardous turns onto the highway. The development would significantly worsen these conditions.
6. Flawed Application Process
The proposal uses a proforma letter from Echo Realty to nominally qualify under the Affordable Housing provisions of the Housing SEPP, enabling it to bypass the standard DA process. This mechanism has been used across multiple SSDA applications and lacks accountability and assurance that genuine affordable housing outcomes will be delivered. This calls into question the validity of the SSDA planning pathway used here.
7. Inadequate and Misleading Community Consultation
Community consultation has been minimal, insufficient, and in some cases misleading. The materials provided did not accurately reflect the visual and environmental impacts of the development. For a project of this scale, the lack of genuine community engagement is unacceptable and fails to meet the standards expected under the SSDA process.
Conclusion
In light of the above, I urge Council and the relevant planning authorities to reject this application in its current form. The proposal conflicts with established planning frameworks, fails to demonstrate design excellence, significantly harms the amenity and character of the area, and undermines the integrity of the community consultation process.
A substantial redesign — aligned with local planning controls and urban design principles — is the minimum required to even consider approval.

I live close to Stanhope Road, Killara. This road and the sourrounding ones do not have the infrastructure to cope with 10 storey apartment blocks. The traffic is usually heavy at this junction, 10 storey blocks of apartments will overload the road system to beyond capacity. It will result in major taffic jams every morning and evening. School children walk to school in this area, their safety will be impacted.
This area is in the flight path of endangered bats, that nest in Gordon. High rise buildings will severly impact these creatures.
This project has not considered the major negative impact it will have in this area. Please do not let this go ahead.

Please find attached my objection to this proposal.

I lived for nearly 30 years at 10 Stanhope Road and cannot believe that a project such as this is even being considered.
Primarily, from an environmental perspective the significant trees on this property and the wildlife that it maintained must be considered.
There is no reasonable way to consider that apartments built on this site are likely to be 'affordable' and suspect the use of this language is nothing short of a smoke screen to attempt to get through loop holes and legislation.
I am concerned regarding the impact on 12 Stanhope Rd, a beautifully preserved period home that has been loved and maintained for generations. The shadowing, the noise and the lack of privacy will be immense and thoroughly likely to be against many laws of both design and reasonable lifestyle.
The impact on the infrastructure of Killara and imparticular Stanhope Road will be immense. Already when a large vehicle or truck needs to go down the street, cars need to veer to the side due to parked cars. No doubt this will worsen.
The long term effects of such developments cannot be understated and once done, they are done. I hope that the reasonable people sitting on these planning committees can see the value of preserving heritage, environment and amenity. There are so many better sites for development, and these grand homes are not suitable.
I was in Artarmon recently and the vast scale of industrial businesses taking up valuable land near the city is ridiculous. Perhaps the Government needs to look at this region and focus on improving it.

I strongly object to the proposed development at 10-14A Stanhope Road due to its significant ecological and heritage impacts. The site hosts blue gum, turpentine, and ironbark trees that contribute to local biodiversity, yet the construction will inevitably damage this fragile ecosystem. Additionally, the proposal shows no regard for streetscape character, replacing a house with original features with a four-storey, out-of-style design that contradict heritage conservation principles. The excessive height and bulk at the rear exceed limits and will create an unpleasant visual impact when viewed from street level, while the artist impressions fail to show how it will block views and invade the privacy of neighboring properties, particularly No. 12.
This development sets an alarming precedent by disregarding ecological value, local heritage and cultural values, and community interest. The noise transmission, loss of privacy, and visual dominance of the building are simply unacceptable. I urge the state to reject this proposal and instead make a decision that truly reflects the best interests of Ku-ring-gai’s community and environment.

Please find attached my objection to this proposal

I wish to formally express my objection to the proposed development at 10-14A Stanhope Road, Killara (SSD-81890707). While the project include affordable housing, the proposal appears to prioritise financial gain over genuine community benefit, disregarding both the heritage significance of the area and the amenity of existing residents. The demolition of 14 Stanhope Road cause irreversible damage to the streetscape of this Heritage Conservation Area, undermining over a century of historical and cultural value. Furthermore, the development's bulky scale and appauling contextual response such as non-compliance with height limits and inadequate consideration of privacy, solar access, and acoustic impacts, demonstrate a clear disregard for the low-density character of existing urban setting.
My other concern is of the proposal’s inconsistency with the Ku-ring Gai Alternative TOD Plan, which was developed through extensive community consultation and represents a balanced and broader community interest. Additionally, the development fails to address existing traffic congestion, particularly at the Stanhope Road and Pacific Highway intersection, where turning bays are already operating beyond capacity. I urge the State’s relative agency to reject this proposal, as it contravenes both strategic planning principles and the legitimate collective benefit at council level.

In addition to the attached submission the application should be rejected on the following grounds
1) Over development , Bulk height and scale are inconsistent with the Heritage Conservation Area
2) Inadequate deep soil landscaping to create a tree canopy
3) Poor design including lack of articulation of the facades
4) Traffic impact and lack of signalised intersection at the highway
5) Inadequate genuine community consultation.
6) Detrimental impact on Heritage item at 18 Stanhope Road

Please see the grounds for my objection in the attached letter.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to strongly object to the proposed development at 10–14A Stanhope Road, Killara (SSD-81890707). This proposal raises significant concerns regarding heritage protection, sound planning principles, and the established character of our community. It is clearly at odds with Ku-ring-gai Council’s preferred alternative for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), which prioritises the preservation of the Stanhope Road Heritage Conservation Area.

There are several key issues with this proposal:

The development would be located immediately adjacent to the heritage-listed property at 12 Stanhope Road, which would be visually dominated and isolated due to the excessive height and bulk of the proposed building.

It includes the demolition of the heritage-listed home at 14 Stanhope Road, further eroding the architectural and historical integrity of the conservation area.

The proposed use of a battleaxe block for a ten-storey, high-density development is highly inappropriate and represents poor urban planning. The site has limited street access and is wholly incompatible with the surrounding residential context.

If approved, this would be the only ten-storey building on the eastern side of Killara, standing in stark contrast to the area’s established low-rise character and setting a concerning precedent.

Additionally, while the proposal is being marketed as “affordable housing,” there is a lack of transparency around whether it will truly deliver housing that is affordable to those who need it. Many residents are concerned that this is simply a case of developer opportunism, masquerading as a public good.

In summary, this development undermines the aims of the heritage conservation framework, disrupts the cohesive character of the streetscape, and conflicts with the community’s expectations and the established planning logic for the area.

For these reasons, I urge the Department to reject SSD-81890707.

Dear Sir/Madam,
This proposal raises serious concerns in terms of heritage protection, planning integrity, and community character. It is directly at odds with Ku-ring-gai Council’s preferred alternative scenario for the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), which supports the preservation of the Stanhope Road Heritage Conservation Area.
Key issues include:
- The proposed development is adjacent to a heritage-listed property at 12 Stanhope Road, which would be visually overwhelmed and isolated by the scale and form of this development.
- It involves the demolition of a heritage conservation home at 14 Stanhope Road, eroding the architectural and historical continuity of the area.
- The use of a battleaxe block for a high-density, ten-storey development is not only inappropriate but represents poor urban planning practice. It is an unsuitable site with limited street access and a completely incompatible context.
- If approved, this would be the only ten-storey development on the entire east side of Killara, standing in stark contrast to the established low-rise residential character of the suburb.
Additionally, while the development is framed as providing "affordable housing," it is unclear whether it will deliver genuinely affordable outcomes for those in need. Many in the community are concerned that this is simply a case of developer-driven opportunism, disguised under the banner of public benefit.
This proposal undermines the intent of the heritage conservation framework and threatens the cohesive streetscape that residents value. It represents an overreach that lacks alignment with local context, planning logic, and community expectations.
For these reasons, I strongly urge the Department to reject SSD-81890707 (10-14A Stanhope Road Killara).

An SSDA application has been lodged for 135 apartments under the State TOD ( NSW Housing SEPP) which would not be permitted under Kuringgai Councils alternative TOD. It will result in a series of 5-10 storey apartment buildings within a predominately two storey low density zone (R2). The development will be incongruous with the resolved Council TOD. The development will be an exemplar of poor planning due to Council and State inability to cooperate.
The proposal is of low architectural/design merit significantly below professional urban design standards. The project has not undertaken a State Significant Design review. The impact of bulk, height and scale on adjoining housings has not been considered.
The proposal significantly exceeds the permitted planning heights and other planning standards without justification and mitigation of the impacts on the surrounding area.
The proposal fails to integrate with the character housing streetscape and gives token consideration of nearby heritage items.
The proposal includes affordable housing under the Housing SEPP to utilize the SSDA planning pathway to secure permissibility using the proforma letter from Echo Realty. Similar letters have featured in dozens of SSDA’s and are a perverse mechanism to avoid the scrutiny and accountability of a normal DA application.
The proposal has failed to meet consultation standards with insufficient and misleading information to solicit genuine informed feedback.

I have concerns about the development as proposed in its current form, as outlined in the attached submission.