I am an elderly resident, and my family plans to care for me in our home at Stanhope Road so I can enjoy a peaceful retirement surrounded by nature and the familiar character of our neighbourhood. However, this proposed development has caused me great distress.

The scale, noise, and disruption from such a large project would take away the quiet enjoyment of my home in my later years. The street has always been a calm and beautiful place, with heritage homes and trees that make it special. And I worry that will be lost.
This is not just about a building — it is about protecting the quality of life for people like me who have called this place home. I ask that you please consider the human impact of this development and reject the application in its current form.

I forgot to attach my submission a few seconds ago.

I hope I get it right now.

Please see attached.

Hi council,
I am writing to you today not just as a resident, but as a deeply concerned long-standing member of the family who calls 12 Stanhope Road, Killara, home. It is with considerable alarm and outright dismay that we object in the strongest possible terms to the proposed 10-storey apartment development in such close proximity to my relatives property.

This isn't just a house; it's a heritage building, a significant part of Killara's historical fabric. Its architectural integrity and historical value are undeniable. To allow a towering, modern apartment block to overshadow a property of such cultural significance is not only architecturally incongruous but also a gross dereliction of the Council's duty to preserve our local heritage. Such a development would irrevocably diminish the character and setting of a building that should be protected, not dwarfed into insignificance.

Furthermore, let's talk about privacy – or the complete lack thereof that this development would inflict upon us. Our home, like many in Killara, was designed with a certain expectation of space and seclusion. We have a private backyard, complete with a tennis court and swimming pool – amenities that are fundamental to our family's enjoyment of our home and our quality of life. The notion of a 10-storey apartment building peering directly into our private recreational spaces is utterly unacceptable. It's an egregious invasion of privacy that would render our backyard unusable and transform our cherished home into a fishbowl for hundreds of new residents. This is not just an inconvenience; it is a profound infringement on our right to enjoy our own property in peace.

Finally, and perhaps most immediately impactful for the entire neighborhood, are the traffic concerns. Stanhope Road is, to put it mildly, a narrow street. It was never designed to accommodate the sheer volume of vehicles that a 10-storey apartment complex housing a staggering 192 car spaces would generate. The idea of nearly 200 additional cars trying to navigate our already constrained local roads is frankly terrifying. We foresee immediate and severe traffic congestion, increased noise pollution, significant safety risks for pedestrians and cyclists, and a drastic reduction in the quality of life for every single resident on Stanhope Road and surrounding streets. The existing infrastructure simply cannot cope, and the thought of perpetual gridlock in our quiet, residential area is an absolute nightmare.

In conclusion, this proposed development poses an unacceptable threat to our heritage, our privacy, and the fundamental liveability of our community. We urge you, to consider the profound and negative ramifications of this project and to reject the development application. Please prioritize the preservation of Killara's unique character and the well-being of its long-standing residents over the interests of developers.

Thank you for your time and serious consideration of these critical issues.

Sincerely,

I object to SSD-81890707 — the proposed residential flat buildings at 10, 14, and 14a Stanhope Road, Killara.
What concerns me most about this proposal is how it exploits the state’s TOD policy not to deliver good planning outcomes, but to justify excessive density and poor design in an established heritage conservation area. It does so while ignoring the joint efforts of Ku-ring-gai Council and the State Government to develop a more sensible and balanced alternative TOD plan , one that better accommodates local character, community feedback, and environmental constraints.
The council’s Preferred Scenario has been publicly exhibited and is widely supported. It aims to deliver housing in a way that respects built heritage and local context. Yet the EIS for this SSD proposal makes no mention of this plan. It’s hard not to view that silence as a deliberate attempt to avoid compliance with more appropriate planning standards — particularly the lower FSR and a more sensible urban design controls. Instead, the developer appears to be using the minimum provision of affordable housing as a parachute to land overdevelopment into Killara, prioritising financial gain over thoughtful design outcomes.
The impact on the heritage value of Stanhope Road is particularly distressing. The adjacent property at No. 12 is a listed heritage item, yet the Heritage Impact Statement fails to offer any real analysis of how its setting and amenity will be degraded. Nor did the HIS adequately assess the dwelling’s (No. 12) contribution to the broader Heritage Conservation Area.
This kind of development does not reflect the collective benefit of our community or competent planning. I urge you to reject SSD-81890707 and support a vision for Killara that balances growth with character, heritage, and genuine public interest.

Submission attached

Submission attached