Shop top housing with in-fill affordable housing, Edgecliff

SSD-77608714 Proposed development -136-148 New South Head Road, Edgecliff.
Please see the attached submission to DPIE by Henroth Pty Limited. 27 February2025

This submission has been made on behalf of Owners Corporation of SP 21608 (‘Eastpoint Tower’ at 180 Ocean Street, Edgecliff). Refer to attached submission.

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.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on SSD-77608714. 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?

I strongly object to the development proposed re VPA for 136 - 148 SC6602 New South Head Road Edgecliff on the following grounds.
The original proposal for a 12 storey unit block was way in excess of Woollahra Councils guidelines in terms of height and density and was utter madness in terms of what this site could support. The proposal is now for a 17 storey unit block which is insane!
The planning authority may not be aware that this site is at a key intersection of New South Head Road and Darling Point Road. Having lived in the area for a number of years and having observed the traffic chaos that already exists in the mornings, afternoons especially, and at school drop off and pick up times. The current road cannot support the extra volume of traffic that the proposed 62 unit block of residential space will generate.
This strip is a key access point to the Eastern Suburbs and will choke entry to Double Bay and beyond, to death. Often Ambulances, police and the fire brigade use this route to access the Eastern Suburbs. If this entry point is choked with traffic it could lead to very serious consequences.
The local infrastructure cannot cope with a development of this size in terms of available schools, roads, traffic and utilities. The other important route out of the Eastern Suburbs is via Mona Road. In the afternoons this road is already banked up halfway to Darling Point Road.
New South Head Road leaving the Eastern Suburbs is also banked up outside the Edgecliff Centre in the afternoons. Ocean Street is also becoming a car park over the weekends and during "rush hour".
I have witnessed more and more dangerous driving caused caused by frustration of traffic not moving and will guarantee that with more traffic more accidents will occur.
Surely the locals living in the area should have some say about the suburb in which they live? What do we elect local Councils for if they cannot carry out their mandate provided by the local residents!
If a referendum was to be held amongst local residents it would result in an overwhelming NO to a development of this size and scale.
How can bureaucrats living outside this area decide what our suburb should look like? Crazy! We already live in one of the most densely populated areas in the country. It also happens to be one of the most expensive areas in the country. How is it possible to identitfy this area as an opportunity to provide "affordable housing"?
Unfortunately we all can't afford to live in the area, house or unit that we may want but that is the reality of life. This development will become another scar on the skyline of Darling Point similar to the Raneleigh development next door.
Long after the NSW bureaucrats leave office and have walked away, local residents will be stuck with this damaging development that will leave the area congested and traffic gridlocked.
What happened to the green space that was previously required when building a house or block of units? Is this no longer important?
I understand that there is a shortage of housing but that is not due only to a housing issue but a stupid immigration policy issue. Please don't mess up our way of life due to crazy decisions made by our incompetent politcal leaders!
Please reconsider the size, height, density and scale of this development.
It just does not make any rational sense and will have major impact on the congestion and mobility in this area and in the rest of the Eastern Suburbs.
Don't leave future generations to suffer the consequences of your decision! Please reconsider the size and scale of this development and don't leave us with a legacy to deal with the consequences of your critical decision.
I promise you with a more rational and realistic immigration policy the housung crisis will not be here forever.

Please find attached submission on behalf of Paul Nicolaou, Executive Director of Business Sydney

Please see attached letter dated 17 February 2025

This proposed development will cast a shadow over buildings 154, 160, 166 and 186 New South Head Rd. These smaller buildings all enjoy some natural sunlight of an afternoon and into the late evening. This proposed development will block this sunlight and put these buildings exterior and interior in a shadow from very early afternoon. This will change the entire aesthetics of this space, and the apartments in these buildings. Occupants that return from school or work of an afternoon will not be able to enjoy any natural sunshine outside or inside as they currently enjoy prior to this proposed development. The afternoon sun not only heats, dry's and lights up exterior spaces but also provides natural sunlight to apartments and internal and external common areas.
There are concerns this reduction in natural sunlight will have negative effects on many things and not limited to people's mental health, blood pressure/heart disease, vitamin D production, bacteria, bone health, immunity and overall quality of life.
There will also be potential negative affects to existing plants, landscaping, buildings, moisture levels, noise/acoustics and hardware.

Please see attached submission and supporting documentation.

Dear Sir,
Thank you for providing us with notice of Application Numbers SSD 768 55210 and SSD 77608714. The concept proposal contained in those applications is for a mixed-use development with infill affordable housing, encompassing the location 136-148 New South Head Road, Edgecliff. It is proposed that the developed site would include a 17-storey building containing retail/commercial floorspace, with residential above, including affordable housing and podium car parking.
We are writing to you, to object to the proposed development in its current form. The scale of what is proposed is extraordinary and will have an overshadowing impact on our apartment building 'Cobham', which is located on the proposed heritage-approved  Brantford Heritage Estate at 166 New South Head Road. We have serious concerns that the development will be excessive, visually intrusive to our apartment building and incompatible with its residents' amenity and quiet enjoyment of their property. While it will be worse for those on the west and south of the building, even for those on the north and east, it will absolutely dominate the otherwise tranquil environment of the inner court. Additionally,  at the view study undertaken for Lend Lease Development the effect on apartments 7 and 11, see page 154, is particularly extreme with the view study acknowledging  "The proposal will have a devastating view impact on this viewpoint" :  : https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-76855210%2120250122T025703.600%20GMT.
Our wider concern is that  it will also absolutely overshadow (both aesthetically and literally) the entire proposed heritage -approved Brantwood estate area which comprises the apartment buildings at 164, 166, 168, 170 and 172 New South Head Road). We attach an image extracted from the concept design plans below, putting 'Cobham' in a red circle (see attachment).

We note that Woollahra Council has provided comments on the project in which it identifies an impact on the proposed Brantford Heritage Estate (at par 1(d) (and from pars 4 to 22 addresses the many features (including height) of the proposal which would be undesirable for the local area and/ or non-compliant with the Council's  development control plans).  Paragraph 4 (d) notes :

  "The setbacks of the proposed building envelope shown in the design report, do not appear to comply with the minimum Apartment Design Guideline (ADG) requirements for visual privacy, particularly to the existing building on 164 New South Head Road. New development should establish a respectful interface and transition to the adjacent Inter-War flat buildings at 164, 166 and 168 New South Head Road, for example through a sensitive response in bulk, materiality, and setbacks to minimise impacts".  
While we do not have an in-principle opposition to development of the Edgecliff area to keep the area fresh and commercially vibrant, the scale of what is proposed is inappropriate and disproportionate. A  development of no more than three storeys  would be more appropriate for the site.

We respectfully request your consideration of this submission.

Guy Griffin, Chairman 
Owners Corporation
Lot 10
'Cobham'SP 90371 on behalf of 

Semini Dias, Treasurer, Lot 1
Tansel Nedim Lot 1
Samuel Murray, Lot 5
Maria Murray, Lot 5

We are supportive of the project proposed, provided there are no solar impacts on the buildings or open spaces of Ascham campus at any time of the year. We ask that Council considers traffic impacts on Darling Point Road and considers measures to reduce bottleneck zones along Darling Point Road and St Marks Road during peak hour.

I object to the proposed development on the following grounds:
Traffic Congestion.
a. Appendix U TRAFFIX Report - New South Head Road is already congested specifically at school times. Ascham School has recently completed an extension and car and people traffic volumes continue to increase post COVID. i.e. State government has recalled all workers back to the office.
b. In Section 5.3 Peak Period impacts - A conclusion of Satisfactory performance at the major junctions is not good enough at an intersection that already suffers from standstill congestion at school pick up times.
c. An assessment needs to be conducted that combines the proposed development with the proposed changes of the Edgecliff Centre across the road. This is a redevelopment of a zone and cannot be judged in isolation as there are currently three planning proposals in the immediate area.

Sewerage Capacity constraints.
a. A detailed report on the impact of the project on the area's sewerage capacity is required. Currently there are problems with overflow in rainy times at Rushcutters Bay. Previously, the state government said it had excluded Edgecliff as a Transport Oriented Development (TOD) location because of train capacity issues and water and sewerage constraints that “proved difficult to overcome”. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/minister-reveals-why-sydney-s-eastern-suburbs-were-spared-housing-density-push-20231210-p5eqe5.html
b. There needs to be detailed assessment of the impacts of a combination of the new proposed development and the redevelopment of the Edgecliff Centre combined and how strains on the sewerage system will be addressed.

Wind Tunnel affect.
a. Appendix M. Section 7. The Windtech Report gives a detailed study of the area and concludes that’s with the inclusion of the new wedged shaped building: " However, some areas will experience strong winds which will exceed the relevant criteria for comfort and/or safety".
Remediations are suggested to make the area are recommended but the use of light furniture is not recommended. As with the Barangaroo’s site’s outcome this may prove to be one of the most objectionable issues with the project. In fact, the images on page 10 of the report bear a striking similarity to the Wind proposal by CPP for Barangaroo . Page 2. https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-8529%2120190226T082727.038%20GMT

While in principle I support increased density that includes mixed housing to 15 stories at Edgecliff because of the train station and bus interchange the proposed development does not justify solutions to traffic, sewerage and wind concerns enough to support the proposal.

Clearly no creditable data has been submitted addressing the horrific traffic implications to the main feeder roads to the whole of the Eastern Suberbs. New South Head road is packed and Ocean Street is always crazy busy.
The increase in traffic alone will destroy/clog the accessability to Double Bay, Rose Bay, Vaucluse, Dover heights, Bondi etc etc...
This projest is cleary not been thought through at the fundamental levels.
Feel free to try and navigate New Maclean st etc at school pick up time as an example...

We own a unit next door in the Cobham building located at 166 New South Head Road. The building is surrounded by similar size buildings and only the Westerly aspect facing the city, that can be seen in the attached, offers some outlook and a view. This proposal would block this aspect and completely change the perspective living inside our building. We feel this development would affect the livability and value of our unit, our building, and our Neighbour's. Cobham due to age and design is a walk-up, without balconies, or any other views to the North, East or South. We rely on the Westerly aspect for quality of life, ambience, enjoyment and value.
Parking in the area is also already difficult; this proposal would further add to this issue.
The age and construction of both 166 and 160 New South Head Road may suffer structural damage withs the type of construction being proposed so close to their western perimeter.

I live at the end of Herbert Road and can only access my property via new McLean Street. The existing traffic is already exceptionally bad and I’m unable to leave my house between 3-4 pm and peak hours most days because the cars are backed up all the way from New South Head Road to the end of New McLean St and back again full of angry drivers who won’t let cars in to New McLean St from Herbert Rd at the roundabout. The increase of this building proposal from 12 stories to 17 stories will add further traffic and congestion to the area, for which a proper and practical traffic management plan has not been fully considered. When you include the incredibly large complex that is proposed to be developed at the current Edgecliff Centre this will create a deadlock situation that would not allow emergency services or other critical vehicles to access the street in cases of emergency. This building height is also out of character with the current mainly two story Terrace Heritage area style. I urge the assessors to fully consider the traffic impacts of this proposal as the current traffic is already unacceptable before these large constructions take place Thank you, David.

This is a very good and important development that I sincerely hope will be approved.
Edgecliff - which has a train station as is very close to the CBD (walking distance for an active person) is presently underdeveloped and that is a major contributing factor to Sydney's housing crisis.
There is also plenty of commercial real-estate near this development, further illustrating that it is an ideal location for further residential development.
I see no reason for this development to be knocked back and hope to see it approved very soon.

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.