St Catherine's School - Upgrade

St Catherines has been on this site since 1857, This development will help improve what is already an excellent non selective independent girls school, The development sits on the schools existing land and I am sure that building works will be carried out so as not to disrupt the neighbours or the girls studying at the school,

Re SSD 6339 St Catherine's School Campus Master Plan.
I wish to support the above application.
As an old girl of St Catherine's, I am involved in the school community. The school is badly in need of better facilitation to be able to adequately provide for both current and future student need. Not only will the proposed master plan and new RPAC building provide their badly needed facilities, but the street-scape along McPherson Street will be enhanced, with improved visual amenity for neighbours. At the same time, this will provide a much needed formal entrance for the school.
The master plan will also allow the school to provide for increasing enrollments as the Eastern Suburbs population increases, something which will not be possible with existing facilities as they are.

Dear all,

In recent weeks our family has been made aware of the St Catherine's development plans.

We live in lower Gipps Street and we have lived at this address for 16 years. We have watched over the years as St Catherine's teachers (unable to park at the school itself) have progressively blocked parking opportunities in our street and we have witnessed the morning grid-lock around our streets (parents driving students to and from school) worsen proportionally with the St Catherine's increase in enrolment.

We are subject too often to St Catherine's teachers and parents' cars blocking our street parking both during the day and at night time when the school runs parent nights etc. We are also subject to the morning traffic grid lock which the school generates daily for the school year.

The school, to date, has done little to remediate either situation in full understanding of the ramifications of their growing student-base yet now the school has projected a veneer of consultation.

We cannot believe that the school is planning to grow the numbers of students, teachers and associated professions through expanding their student capacity. This will just create more parking issues and traffic jams for residents like us.

Their plans indicate little consideration in terms of appropriate increases in parking for teachers or parents and I see no credible plans by the council or St Catherine's to manage the proportional increase in parent-vehicles entering and exiting the area, delivering and retrieving students daily from the school.

We urge you all to oppose this development as it is generates unsuitable parking requirements for the streets surrounding the school and it increases the traffic congestion and the congestion window in the streets surrounding the school.

Please don't hesitate to email me if you wish any further detail concerning our comments above.

I am writing to express my concern regarding the St Catherine's Masterplan. As a resident who lives next door in Building 4 Macpherson St I will be directly effected by the huge scale of the building. There has been little consideration by theSchool regarding our buildings concerns despite multiple meetings with them. Just like the Bronte RSL proposal the building is well over the height limits that have been set for the area, it is also well over the FSR controls set for the area. The development offers no benefit to the greater community other than those affording to send their daughters to the school. Please note at this point that my own daughter attends St Catherine's. I am not saying that the school should not be allowed to do any improvements to their pools and grounds, there has been a proposal that was passed in 1996 for a pool upgrade that was a much smaller development. I fail to see why they need a great big fly tower for props that are only going to be in use for a few events per year when the other private schools in the area find it acceptable to use NIDA's facilities to show their end of year performance.
The overshadowing problems and overall bulk and size of the development are not in keeping with the area and the surrounding buildings.

I would address the major problems already with the traffic in the area but I am sure you will have many other emails regarding this, and we can hold out hope that the planners may reject it simply on the ground that the parents refuse to obey the road rules just like they have done with the Scots Prep school just last week. Traffic is already chaos during peak times and in the summer months our driveway is constantly blocked by parents dropping kids to swimming. Add to this the increase in students that they propose and all the extra events that the school wants to have and it will be a traffic and parking disaster for local residents.

There is no benefit to the wider community in this development just another example of private schools trying to one up each other, to make more money for themselves. This development ticks all the negative boxes that the RSL development, which you are against just down the road has ticked. A smaller scale development would be better suited to the area and the wider community.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Dear Counsillors,

Myhusband and I are residents of 4 Macpherson Street.

I am writing to strongly oppose the DA for St Catherine's school Waverley.

We have lived at 4 Macpherson Street for the past year and in that time have seen the increasing chaos that surrounds the school drop off and pick up at St Catherine's junior and high school.

Not only are cars dangerously parked illegally there is also gridlock trying to leave the street to get to work each morning. Our driveway has been blocked numerous time by parents illegally parking to drop kids at school because there is no car parks left and inadequate facilities provided by St Catherine's. If the proposed buildings go ahead I cannot even fathom the nightmare that will become the street every morning and afternoon. Street parking as it stands is already increasingly challenging, we often park a 10 minute walk away and it seems if these works go ahead that will increase.

In the article below St Catherine's shunts responsibility for the grid-lock onto the local residents suggesting they need to switch to public transport. Well surely the same argument then needs to be extended to the parents and carers who drive their children to work?

It is beyond comprehension that they could propose a plan and not incorporate a decent sized parking lot into the equation. The building will block the light our building currently receives and we will no doubt have to invest in double glazed windows to cope with the traffic noise and building works. That is something which is in the unfortunate circumstances this DA is approved would need to be considered as compensation from St Catherine's at the very least.

You only have to look at articles such as the below to get some real insight into the situation. If this goes ahead there could be risks to safety and it is only a matter of time before there is an accident

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/fears-expansion-plans-will-increase-school-run-chaos-at-st-catherines-in-waverley/story-fni0cx12-1227122751010?nk=4915d8d33edb2bc084136fed66bcf41c

I trust you will consider my email and those sent by other residents.

Kind regards,
Claire Widmer

Dear Sir

My wife and I are residents of 4 Macpherson Street.

I am writing to strongly oppose the DA for St Catherine's school Waverley.

We have lived at 4 Macpherson Street for the past three years and in that time have seen the increasing chaos that surrounds the school drop off and pick up at St Catherine's junior and high school.

Not only are cars dangerously parked illegally there is also gridlock trying to leave the street to get to work each morning. Our driveway has been blocked numerous time by parents illegally parking to drop kids at school because there is no car parks left and inadequate facilities provided by St Catherine's. If the proposed buildings go ahead I cannot even fathom the nightmare that will become the street every morning and afternoon. Street parking as it stands is already increasingly challenging, we often park a 10 minute walk away and it seems if these works go ahead that will increase.

In the article below St Catherine's shunts responsibility for the grid-lock onto the local residents suggesting they need to switch to public transport. Well surely the same argument then needs to be extended to the parents and carers who drive their children to work?

It is beyond comprehension that they could propose a plan and not incorporate a decent sized parking lot into the equation. The building will block the light our building currently receives and we will no doubt have to invest in double glazed windows to cope with the traffic noise and building works. That is something which is in the unfortunate circumstances this DA is approved would need to be considered as compensation from St Catherine's at the very least.

You only have to look at articles such as the below to get some real insight into the situation. If this goes ahead there could be risks to safety and it is only a matter of time before there is an accident

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/fears-expansion-plans-will-increase-school-run-chaos-at-st-catherines-in-waverley/story-fni0cx12-1227122751010?nk=4915d8d33edb2bc084136fed66bcf41c

I trust you will consider my email and those sent by other residents.

Kind regards,
Dr Rafael Gaszynski

Hello,

I wish to lodge my opposition to the current St Catherine's School development plan, which I believe The Department of Planning are in the process of assessing.

My concerns generally relate to the overall bulk of the development, initially related to the first stage which includes the construction of an extremely large structure which will dominate the local landscape, due to its proximity to the street and location directly beside our residential apartment block at 4 MacPherson Street. This is without regard to future stages which will enhance the following concerns.

Of a secondary nature, is the initial impact of the construction period, given the extent of excavation and major works required etc. on local residents, and future traffic concerns due to increased enrolment at the school and patronage of the theater and pool facilities. The area is already a nightmare at drop off and pick up times, with staff, despite their best efforts, unable to control vehicles and the associated congestion - and our apartment block continually used as a short term parking lot by nonchalant drivers. The proposed expansion of the pool facilities and planned associated activities will enhance this issue dramatically.

The justifications for the variation to the local height requirements are vague, and rely heavily on existing noncompliance within the school, but do not seek to quantify, clarify and compare this existing noncompliance with the level now proposed, nor compare the location or effects of the current noncompliance - which are not as apparent from the streetscape as they appear to be well set back within the site. They also rely heavily on the recent approval at another local school which has exceeded this provision, but have not confirmed that the level of noncompliance in this matter is much higher (i.e. 15m Vs 22m).

The justifications within the Traffic Report are also vague. There is no real solution provided to the current issue, and the report has determined that the additional parking required, due to the increased capacity and uses within the school, pool and the theatre, can merely be absorbed into the local community. If anyone has tried to park in this area after work hours I feel the reality is completely opposite. Current methods do not work and the area is constantly gridlocked at drop off / pick up times. Staff education in traffic management protocols will not change this, as this has all been previously suggested as part of previous approvals, to no end.

The waste area is proposed to be located close to the rear lane entry point (Leichardt Lane). The current process involves staff bringing bins to rear lane, and Council collection by reversing up a thin rear lane at all hours (with warning alarms and flashing lights as is required) - as there is insufficient space to drive in an turn around. This has had a detrimental effect on the residential apartment blocks adjacent to the lane over many years. Council has suggested relocation of the waste area. The site does have a `service entry' off Albion Street, where goods are delivered by trucks etc. which may be a more appropriate waste collection point. Given this is a new Masterplan, addressing the future of the site, surely a better arrangement can be made for waste collection, that does not have such an impact on local residents.

Thank you for your time.

Regards

Scott Jarvis

The St Catherine's Master Plan shows great foresight in developing facilities for students and residents in the local area. Currently I dive to UNSW in Randwick several times per week to use the pool facilities there. The new St Caths pool will mean my children can walk to and from their water activites at the school.

As facilities are more widley used by students before and after school traffic congestion at peak times should decrease and drop-off and pick-up is spread over a wider time.

In the long term the school will be able to handle a small increase in enrollments, as most of these come from the local area traffic will be reduced as less students are driven to far away schools in Randwick and Rose Bay.

Overall, I think the plan has great vision to maximise the available space.

I am writing to object strongly to the Masterplan DA and Stage 1 proposals currently before the Department of Planning & Environment as lodged by St Catherine's School, 26 Albion Street, Waverley.

I am a local resident of the area and have lived in Macpherson St for over six years. Every work day morning as I walk to my bus stop there is bumper to bumper traffic as parents of St Catherine's queue to drop their children at school. Crossing at the roundabout of Macpherson and Leichhardt Sts is especially difficult as large cars often do not look out or give way to pedestrians. There are parents who drive unsafely and illegally (eg queuing in double lanes up Leichhardt St). It's a crossing I dread each morning; and it's an accident waiting to happen.

I do not begrudge a school the opportunity to improve their facilities and the learning experience for students. But with this comes responsibility to the local community: and the local community infrastructure is not adequately set up to carry extra traffic or host facilities taller and larger than in keeping with the local area.

I object to the proposal and support the community's objections as follows:

I object to further overdevelopment of the School campus with all new buildings reaching over the allowable height of 9.5 metres and part over 19 metres. I object to the justification for this excess being that many buildings on the site already exceed 9.5 metres.100% over the height limit for the area.
I object to more buildings exceeding the allowable density, or FSR (floor space ratio) of 0.6:1. Already the school is 50% over the density for the zone, and 1:1 is proposed, taking it to more than 80% over the limit. Open space, trees and gardens on the site are vanishing.
The excessive size of this proposal contrasts the school starkly with surrounding residential property. Buildings already loom over homes, blocking light, air and views. This will get worse.

I object to the lack of a comprehensive and sustainable transport plan. The school is increasing its dependence on individual car based transport for over 600 of its students, clogging up all surrounding streets for drop offs and pick-ups. A new entry on Macpherson Street will draw students away from the Albion Street bus hub, not towards it;
I object to the school's expectation that teachers, staff, cleaners and other services people must park in local streets because the school does not provide enough on-site parking;
I object to proposed year round, regular use of the new indoor heated pool complex, and more noise and disturbance coming from early morning and evening swimming sessions putting more strain onto local streets for parking;
I object to the likelihood of more noise and disturbance coming from more events at the new theatre and entertainment terrace, relying on local streets for parking;
I object to the lack of adequate parking on the school site. The school relies on local streets, including for teachers, volunteer and office staff, and tradies vehicles during construction.
All other landlocked private schools in the region provide staff and visitors with an on-site parking station. Why not St Catherine's?

I object to St Catherine's not taking into account cumulative effects of congestion from nearby developments including Loretto at 363-7 Bronte Road, Bronte RSL at 113 Macpherson Street, and 60-place Child Care Centres each at 23 Macpherson Street and Bronte Bowling Club,16 Wallace Street.

St Catherine's is diversifying into commercial activities and should comply with planning controls for parking, on site drop off and pick ups, active travel, hours of operation, caps on student numbers and the provision of annual lists of major events to Council and the Precincts.

I am writing to object to the Masterplan DA and Stage 1 proposals lodged by St Catherine's School. I object for the following reasons;
1) Overdevelopment of the site including Height and FSR. The proposal seeks to increase the FSR to 1:1 and all the buildings will exceed allowable heights, rising to over 19 metres which is almost 10 metres over the limit. This is a GROSS overdevelopment in a low rise residential area and should not be permitted.
2) Intensification of use of the site including evenings and weekends and all year round use of the pool complex and 500 seat Theatre. A new 500 seat Theatre in addition to the existing 250 theatre and a new Aquatic Centre with 3 pools open all year round from early morning to evening and weekends is another GROSS overdevelopment by the school and unnecessary and unwarranted.
3) A new major entry off Macpherson Street with ONLY 19 underground parking spaces will increase the traffic congestion in an already saturated traffic congested area on Bronte Road, Leichhardt Street, Macpherson Street and Albion Street and surrounding streets.
The school is currently relying on local streets for most of its parking requirements which is problematic without the increased intensification of use of the site. St Catherine's should be required to provide adequate on-site parking for its operations as limited residential parking and traffic congestion is currently an issue. This is a unreasonable impact for residents to have to be burdened with.
4) No plan to provide parking for 75 construction workers per day for the next 15 years. The school needs to provide a detailed plan as to how they will manage parking arrangements for construction workers. The school clearly haven't considered the detrimental impact it would have on residents, available residential parking and traffic congestion.
5) Impact of parking along the Charing Cross Shopping Strip which is already an issue without this DA proposal.

Dear Sir

My wife and I are residents of 4 Macpherson Street.

I am writing to strongly oppose the DA for St Catherine's school Waverley.

We have lived at 4 Macpherson Street for the past three years and in that time have seen the increasing chaos that surrounds the school drop off and pick up at St Catherine's junior and high school.

Not only are cars dangerously parked illegally there is also gridlock trying to leave the street to get to work each morning. Our driveway has been blocked numerous time by parents illegally parking to drop kids at school because there is no car parks left and inadequate facilities provided by St Catherine's. If the proposed buildings go ahead I cannot even fathom the nightmare that will become the street every morning and afternoon. Street parking as it stands is already increasingly challenging, we often park a 10 minute walk away and it seems if these works go ahead that will increase.

In the article below St Catherine's shunts responsibility for the grid-lock onto the local residents suggesting they need to switch to public transport. Well surely the same argument then needs to be extended to the parents and carers who drive their children to work?

It is beyond comprehension that they could propose a plan and not incorporate a decent sized parking lot into the equation. The building will block the light our building currently receives and we will no doubt have to invest in double glazed windows to cope with the traffic noise and building works. That is something which is in the unfortunate circumstances this DA is approved would need to be considered as compensation from St Catherine's at the very least.

You only have to look at articles such as the below to get some real insight into the situation. If this goes ahead there could be risks to safety and it is only a matter of time before there is an accident

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/fears-expansion-plans-will-increase-school-run-chaos-at-st-catherines-in-waverley/story-fni0cx12-1227122751010?nk=4915d8d33edb2bc084136fed66bcf41c

I trust you will consider my email and those sent by other residents.

Kind regards,
Dr Rafael Gaszynski

Attention: Director, Industry, Key Sites and Social Projects

RE: SSD 6339 St Catherine's School Campus Master Plan and Stage 1 development

I am writing to object strongly to the Masterplan DA and Stage 1 proposals currently before the Department of Planning & Environment as lodged by St Catherine's School, 26 Albion Street, Waverley.
* I object to further over-development of the School campus with all new buildings reaching over the allowable height of 9.5 metres and part over 19 metres. I object to the justification for this excess being that many buildings on the site already exceed 9.5 metres.100% over the height limit for the area.
* I object to more buildings exceeding the allowable density, or FSR (floor space ratio) of 0.6:1. Already the school is 50% over the density for the zone, and 1:1 is proposed, taking it to more than 80% over the limit. Open space, trees and gardens on the site are vanishing.
The excessive size of this proposal contrasts the school starkly with surrounding residential property. Buildings already loom over homes, blocking light, air and views. This will get worse.

* I object to the lack of a comprehensive and sustainable transport plan. The school is increasing its dependence on individual car based transport for over 600 of its students, clogging up all surrounding streets for drop offs and pick-ups. A new entry on Macpherson Street will draw students away from the Albion Street bus hub, not towards it;
* I object to the school's expectation that teachers, staff, cleaners and other services people must park in local streets because the school does not provide enough on-site parking;
* I object to proposed year round, regular use of the new indoor heated pool complex, and more noise and disturbance coming from early morning and evening swimming sessions putting more strain onto local streets for parking;
* I object to the likelihood of more noise and disturbance coming from more events at the new theatre and entertainment terrace, relying on local streets for parking;
* I object to the lack of adequate parking on the school site. The school relies on local streets, including for teachers, volunteer and office staff, and tradies vehicles during construction.
All other landlocked private schools in the region provide staff and visitors with an on-site parking station. Why not St Catherine's?

I object to St Catherine's not taking into account cumulative effects of congestion from nearby developments including Loreto at 363-7 Bronte Road, Bronte RSL at 113 Macpherson Street, and 60-place Child Care Centres each at 23 Macpherson Street and Bronte Bowling Club,16 Wallace Street.
St Catherine's is diversifying into commercial activities and should comply with planning controls for parking, on site drop off and pick ups, active travel, hours of operation, caps on student numbers and the provision of annual lists of major events to Council and the Precincts.

Yours faithfully,

I object to this proposal on the grounds of traffic congestion. Albion St is already heavily congested during school drop-off periods, resembling a car park during peak morning commuting times.
This is clearly attributable to school activity as during school holidays, the traffic runs freely with no congestion.
Therefore I am opposed to any development that seeks to increase this congestion with no clear strategy to offset.

The proposed master plan provides a well considered and much needed development plan for the school. The design has considered amenity and function and is sympathetic to the existing campus and the neighbourhood generally.
In particular the Aquatic centre provides a much needed upgrade to the existing outdoor pool which is very old and limited in its use. I am very supportive of this application which provides a significantly improved outcome for the school and the community generally.

I am opposing to this project.SSD 6339

We strongly support the St Catherine's development proposal as it will provide the students with much needed ammenities to further their education . The swimming pool will be a wonderful facility for the school and the community as a whole
My family live in the area my wife is a St Catherine's old girl and my daughter is going into year 11 and we are very proud to have St Catherine's in the area and have always found them to be very considerate of the community and passionate about the education of our children. We strongly encourage you to support this proposal for the future education of our girls

Attention: Director, Industry, Key Sites and Social Projects

I strongly oppose the above St Catherine's School Master Plan as it's a Commercial Overdevelopment and has absolutely NO respect or consideration for the Community and the Enviroment around it.

Residents already put up with a lot of traffic-noise-pollution-loss of parking because of the school, the Master Plan will make everyone's life an ordeal, as it will make all of the above unsustainable.

More students (230+ and NO CAP on numbers), more teachers, a 500 seat Theatre with day and evening events including week-ends, an Aquatic centre open all day for 7 days and much more will bring more cars-traffic-noise-pollution, less or no parking and NO respite for residents!

How arrogant of St Catherine to propose a $63 Master Plan and not include on-site/underground car park to accomodate the hundreds of cars they'll attract with their entertainment centres. AND not even include a drive-in/drive-out for drop off and pick up and cars movement.

They're totally relying on residents to give up their parking, amenities and quality of life so that they can build their big business and make big bucks.

Please oppose this out of proportion Master Plan and hold a Public Hearing.

Regards
Rosalba paris

We run a creative writing school on the top floor of the Lugar Brae Church for adults and in the eight years or so we have been there parking has become a nightmare. It is just not fair to smaller businesses to have to put up with the selfish demands of schools and inconvenience the community. If they want to expand find another premises or create that car parking space.

i support this submission wholeheartedly . it will be great for the community.

The current proposal is unacceptable given the lack of on site parking and the already highly congested roads of Macpherson and Leichardt (which will get worse given the new child are centre being built on Macpherson St)