This will affect the life quality of all the people that is already living in the area. It cannot bring any upsides on the area or Sydney. It cannot drive residents in the area leaving. And the new people that looking to move in would also stop considering the area.

Show lessMacquarie Park has huge potential, but right now it feels underutilised and lacking the kind of energy you see in other well-connected urban centres. A mixed-use development like the one proposed by Billbergia at 15–21 Cottonwood Crescent could really help change that. Bringing in a mix of homes, retail, and public spaces would add much-needed vibrancy and make the area feel more like a true community rather than just a commercial hub.
Importantly, this kind of project also helps address the growing need for more affordable and accessible housing, especially for students and young families who want to live close to Macquarie University and the metro. With the right design and amenity, it could create a more lively, convenient, and inclusive neighbourhood that better reflects the needs of people who live, study, and work in the area.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing as a local resident to provide a submission regarding the State Significant Development proposal for a mixed-use development at 15–21 Cottonwood Crescent, Macquarie Park.

As a resident living in close proximity to the proposed site, I wish to raise several concerns that I believe warrant careful consideration in the assessment of this development. These concerns are relate to residential amenity, access to daylight, traffic conditions, cumulative density, and safety considerations.

A primary concern is the potential impact on access to natural daylight and sunlight for surrounding residential buildings. Given the scale of the proposed towers and their proximity to existing dwellings, there is concern that overshadowing and reduced daylight access may significantly affect residential amenity and living conditions for nearby residents.

I am also concerned about the capacity of the local road network and surrounding infrastructure to accommodate a development of this scale. The area already experiences pressure on narrow roads, traffic flow, and parking availability. An increase of approximately 858 residential units, along with retail activity, is likely to further intensify these conditions and impact the daily experience of residents.

In addition, the cumulative effect of multiple large-scale developments within this area is an ongoing concern. The level of density being introduced into a relatively confined urban setting raises reasonable questions about infrastructure capacity, neighbourhood character, and long-term liveability.

I am also mindful of the potential impacts during the construction phase, including noise, dust, vibration, and increased heavy vehicle movements. These factors may result in prolonged disruption to nearby residents.

Furthermore, I reside in a building that includes a childcare facility used daily by young children and families. In this context, I am concerned about pedestrian safety and the wellbeing of children during the construction period, particularly in relation to increased construction traffic and activity in the surrounding streets. I respectfully ask that appropriate safety and management measures be carefully considered.

I respectfully request that these matters be taken into account as part of the assessment of this proposal.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide this submission.

Kind Regards,
Local resident

It’s preposterous to consider placing a pair of towers circa 200 metres tall at 15-21 Cottonwood Crescent.

This narrow street is totally unsuitable for so many dwellings on such a tiny footprint.

The legitimate purpose of ultra tall towers is to open up large amounts of surrounding land for public recreation. Billbergia is proposing nothing of the sort. Their monstrosity releases no extra space for parklands, playgrounds, sportsfields or amphitheaters. Instead, Billbergig plans to steal sunlight from every pathway, every tree and every blade of grass that currently exists for thousands of square meters around.

Such tall towers work well if they are placed on wide boulevards, spaced well apart. In this way, traffic capacity can match demand, dwellings can receive sunlight and residents can have space to enjoy outdoors.

I’m in favour of transport oriented development. That’s why I live at Macquarie Park. But this proposal is a cynical attempt to cram an unsuitable building onto an inadequate block.

The individual reasons for my objection are listed with specific details in the attached document.

The initial approval for two residential buildings with a maximum of 20 storeys is acceptable and is in harmony with existing residential developments in Macquarie Park.

My main concern is that the scale and density of this project are excessive for the surrounding area. A development of this height would be significantly out of character with the existing built environment and would create an overdeveloped, overcrowded outcome that is not appropriate for the local community.

I am also concerned that a project of this size would negatively affect the living experience of current residents. A tower of this scale may reduce residential amenity through increased visual bulk, a greater sense of overcrowding, reduced privacy, and a general decline in the comfort and character of the neighbourhood. Even if some technical planning requirements are met, the overall impact on day-to-day liveability should be taken seriously.

In addition, this development is likely to place further pressure on local roads and traffic conditions. A large increase in residents would inevitably lead to more vehicle movements, increased congestion, greater pressure on parking, and additional strain on existing infrastructure. I am not convinced that the surrounding road network and local services can comfortably accommodate a development of this intensity.

The construction phase is another major concern. A 60-storey building would almost certainly require a long construction period, causing prolonged noise, dust, traffic disruption, and general disturbance to nearby residents and businesses. The cumulative effect of years of construction activity should not be underestimated.

I am also concerned that the number of people introduced by such a large development would place excessive pressure on local community facilities, public spaces, and essential services. Growth should be managed in a balanced and reasonable way, and this proposal appears to prioritise scale over the long-term wellbeing of the existing community.

For these reasons, I strongly object to this proposal and respectfully ask that it be reconsidered, substantially reduced in scale, or refused.

See Attached

The proposed twin-tower development at 15–21 Cottonwood Crescent raises significant planning concerns that warrant careful consideration before any approval is granted. Comprising two residential towers of 60 and 52 storeys and up to 870 apartments, the project has been advanced through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway, a mechanism that fundamentally limits the community’s ability to participate in decisions that will permanently reshape their neighbourhood.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this proposal is how dramatically it departs from what was previously approved for this site. The development was originally approved for towers of 21 and 19 storeys and is now seeking State-Significant Development upscaling to 60 storeys, representing more than a tripling of the approved height. This kind of escalation, processed outside the ordinary local planning framework, deprives residents of meaningful input over a project of exceptional scale and permanence.

The impact on Elouera Reserve is a further cause for concern. The site plan places two towers of this height in direct adjacency to the reserve, and the resulting overshadowing during winter months would substantially diminish what is intended to be a public amenity. Green space surrounded by 60-storey towers is not genuinely usable public open space in any meaningful sense.

There is also the question of cumulative infrastructure pressure. Macquarie Park is already absorbing an extraordinary volume of concurrent development. Adding nearly 900 dwellings to a precinct already under strain, without demonstrated upgrades to roads, drainage, and community infrastructure, is not responsible planning.

Density in well-located precincts is a legitimate planning objective, and one that many residents support in principle. However, towers of this scale carry obligations that go beyond meeting a housing number. They demand genuine community engagement, rigorous infrastructure planning, and design outcomes that serve the public interest. As currently proposed, this development does not adequately satisfy those requirements, and I respectfully urge that the application be subject to full and transparent assessment before any determination is made.

I object to the excessive height (two towers of 60 and 52 storeys) and size of this project in the already densely built-up surrounding area. Key concerns include:

• Significant overshadowing of Elouera Reserve, resulting in loss of sunlight to an important public open space
• Excessive bulk and massing, creating a wall effect and reducing visual openness
• Increased wind impacts at street level due to the height and scale of the towers
• Traffic congestion and safety concerns on Cottonwood Crescent, particularly when considered alongside other nearby developments
• The cumulative impact of multiple developments in close proximity, including the 20-storey building under construction at 14 Cottonwood Crescent, and other student hostels nearby.

The scale and density proposed are excessive for this site and will significantly reduce the amenity and liveability of the surrounding area.

I request that the proposal be substantially reduced in height and bulk, and that a more appropriate design with increased setbacks and separation be considered.