To Whom It May Concern,
​As a local resident of Macquarie Park, I am writing to formally lodge my strongest objection to the proposed development at 15-21 Cottonwood Crescent. While I recognize the need for urban growth, the sheer scale of this proposal—comprising 858 units across two towers of 52 and 60 storeys—is entirely disproportionate to the surrounding landscape and existing infrastructure. My concerns are centered on the following critical issues:
​Gross Over-Development and Height: The proposed heights of 52 and 60 storeys are unprecedented for this specific residential pocket. Such "hyper-density" creates a jarring visual impact that is inconsistent with the established character of Cottonwood Crescent, effectively turning a residential street into a high-density canyon.
​Severe Infrastructure Strain: Our local roads, schools, and medical services are already operating at or near capacity. Adding 858 residential units—potentially 2,000+ new residents—without a prior, equivalent expansion of public transit and essential services will lead to unmanageable traffic congestion and a diminished quality of life for current neighbors.
​Environmental and Amenity Impact: Towers of this magnitude will cast significant, long-reaching shadows over existing homes and communal green spaces, stripping away the natural light that residents currently enjoy. Furthermore, the "wind-tunnel" effect created by such massive structures will likely make the street-level environment unpleasant and less walkable.
​Loss of Privacy and Liveability: The extreme density proposed will result in a significant loss of privacy for neighboring low-to-mid-rise buildings. This proposal prioritizes developer profit over the long-term liveability and social cohesion of the Macquarie Park community.
​I urge the planning committee to reject this proposal in its current form and instead advocate for a development that respects local height limits and reflects the true capacity of our infrastructure.
​Sincerely,
​A local resident

The project is a good location for tall towers next to the station, shopping centre and university. I support revitalising the existing brick walk up apartments that are there as they don't add anything to the town centre. More homes where they can be supported is good for the future of affordability in sydney.

Subject: Submission – Objection to SSD-94006708 (Mixed Use Development at 15–21 Cottonwood Crescent, Macquarie Park)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to formally object to the proposed State Significant Development (SSD-94006708) at 15–21 Cottonwood Crescent, Macquarie Park.

I am a nearby resident and a parent of a newborn baby. This stage of life makes me particularly concerned about safety, environmental quality, and access to essential community infrastructure.

1. Excessive Height and Density
The proposed increase in building height from 65m to 212m and the substantial uplift in density (FSR 4.5:1 to 16.8:1) is excessive and out of scale with the surrounding area. This level of overdevelopment will significantly impact the livability of the neighbourhood.

2. Impact on Families and Child-Friendly Environment
With a newborn child, access to quiet, safe, and low-density environments is extremely important. This development will introduce a large population increase, putting pressure on local parks, walking paths, and family-friendly spaces, which are already limited.

3. Traffic and Safety Concerns
The addition of 858 residential units will significantly increase traffic volumes. This raises serious concerns about pedestrian safety, particularly for families with prams and young children. Increased congestion also means higher noise and air pollution levels.

4. Noise, Dust, and Construction Impact
The construction of such large-scale towers will likely take years and generate continuous noise, dust, and disruption. This is particularly concerning for newborns and young children, who are more vulnerable to environmental stress and air quality issues.

5. Pressure on Local Services
A development of this scale will place additional strain on childcare centres, healthcare services, and community infrastructure. As a new parent, access to these services is critical, and current capacity is already stretched.

6. Overshadowing and Loss of Amenity
The proposed towers will likely reduce sunlight access and negatively affect the living conditions of surrounding residents, which is particularly important for families who spend significant time at home caring for young children.

Conclusion
Given the significant impacts on safety, environment, and community infrastructure—especially for families with young children—I strongly object to this proposal in its current form. I respectfully request that the Department reconsider the scale of the development and prioritise a more balanced and family-friendly approach.

Thank you for considering my submission.

The project includes too many stories which will block the view of surroundings also affects the balance of life in this area.

I support the project. I believe it will significantly increase housing affordability and availability in the area.

I would however like to see the number of units and storeys of the building significantly increased.

The project is a very good development, as it will deliver a much needed housing in a highly accessible location. The site is within walking distance to Macquarie shopping centre and university. This is exactly the kind of area where more housing should be built, so people living there would have easy access to shops, education and Metro too.
What is more, I see that it will deliver a number of affordable housing units, which I reckon will help addressing the housing demand for key workers, and replace the old and outdated apartments, transforming the area with better character.

Objection to SSD-94006708: 60-Storey Towers at 15–21 Cottonwood Crescent, Macquarie Park: Unacceptable Overdevelopment with Irreversible Impacts on Liveability, Environment and Public Health

Dear NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure / City of Ryde Council / Sydney North Planning Panel,

I formally object to State Significant Development Application (SSD-94006708) for the proposed mixed-use development at 15–21 Cottonwood Crescent, Macquarie Park.

This proposal, comprising two 60-storey towers (205.5m) and 858 apartments, represents a fundamental and unjustified departure from the established planning framework, with impacts that are permanent, cumulative, and inconsistent with the long-term interests of the community.

While increased housing supply near transport is appropriate in principle, this application is not an example of good planning. It is overdevelopment at an extreme scale, driven by density uplift rather than place-making, infrastructure capacity, or community outcomes.

1. Planning Controls Are Being Overridden Without Justification

The proposal seeks to override the City of Ryde LEP 2014 controls:
• Height: from 65m (around 20 storeys) to 205.5m
• FSR: from 4.5:1 to 14.5:1

This is not a minor variation. It is a tripling of scale.

Variations of this magnitude require clear strategic justification and a demonstrated public benefit. That threshold has not been met. There is no precinct-wide planning basis, no infrastructure-led rationale, and no compelling reason why this site should carry this level of intensity.

The State Significant pathway should not be used to achieve outcomes that are inconsistent with the LEP. In this case, it has the effect of bypassing local planning intent and limiting meaningful community input.

2. Community Engagement Has Been Inadequate and Reactive

A petition of 478 local residents has already raised concerns around:
• Traffic congestion
• Overshadowing
• Infrastructure strain

Yet engagement has been post hoc rather than formative. There has been no meaningful, early-stage consultation consistent with NSW planning principles.

For a project of this magnitude, the absence of genuine community participation is not a procedural gap. It is a fundamental failure in the process.

3. Absence of Independent, Credible Impact Assessment

There is no clear evidence of robust, independent studies addressing:
• Wind impacts at pedestrian level
• Overshadowing of public open space and waterways
• Urban heat and microclimate effects
• Long-term health and liveability outcomes

Given the site’s proximity to a creek corridor and public reserve, this is a critical omission.

The scale of uplift, from previously approved approximately 155 units to 858, represents a fourfold increase in density without corresponding, independently verified infrastructure or environmental capacity.

Assessments appear to rely heavily on developer-commissioned modelling, which does not meet the standard required for a project of this scale and sensitivity.

4. Irreversible Damage to Local Character and Landscape

Macquarie Park is not a high-rise CBD precinct. Its prevailing built form is predominantly under 20 storeys.

Introducing two 60-storey towers will:
• Dominate the skyline disproportionately
• Create significant and permanent overshadowing
• Visually overwhelm surrounding residential and natural areas
• Erode the human scale of the precinct

Nearby developments such as Meriton’s Trilogy have already pushed the upper limits of acceptable height. This proposal does not integrate. It escalates the issue.

Once approved, this level of overdevelopment becomes the new precedent, making further erosion of planning controls inevitable.

5. Established Global Evidence Warns Against This Model

High-density vertical development of this form is not without consequence. Comparable international examples highlight systemic risks.

In Hong Kong, areas such as Tseung Kwan O demonstrate the “wall effect” created by tall, closely spaced towers, reducing airflow and trapping heat and pollutants. The Amoy Gardens SARS outbreak remains a clear example of how building form and ventilation can directly affect public health.

Singapore has had to tighten planning controls in response to similar issues, including introducing requirements for building separation and limiting podium structures to improve airflow and reduce heat build-up.

Across parts of mainland China, superblock developments with towers set within wide roads have reduced walkability, increased reliance on transport, and created poor street-level environments despite high density.

These are well-documented outcomes. Sydney does not face the same land constraints and should not replicate these planning failures.

6. This Is Not About Density, It Is About Poor Density

The issue is not whether Macquarie Park should accommodate growth. It should.

The issue is how that growth is delivered.

This proposal prioritises:
• Maximum yield
• Vertical intensity
• Developer efficiency

Over:
• Human-scale design
• Environmental performance
• Long-term liveability

Well-planned density can enhance a precinct. This proposal undermines it.

7. Clear Grounds for Rejection

Given the scale of non-compliance, inadequate assessment, and irreversible impacts, this application should be rejected in its current form.

If Considered, Fundamental Redesign Is Required

At a minimum, any revised proposal must:
• Align with the established height envelope, generally under 20 storeys
• Provide fully independent wind, visual, and environmental impact assessments
• Demonstrate genuine infrastructure capacity
• Undertake meaningful, pre-lodgement community consultation

Community Position

The level of concern in the community is clear. If these issues are not addressed, residents are prepared to actively pursue all available avenues, including formal objections, appeals and legal review.

This will inevitably prolong the process and create ongoing uncertainty for the project.

This is not a step the community takes lightly. It reflects the seriousness of the impacts. Once built, they cannot be undone.

Conclusion

This proposal is not a refinement of Macquarie Park’s future. It is a step change that permanently alters it for the worse.

Growth should be planned, justified and integrated. This proposal fails on all three counts.

I respectfully request that the application be rejected.

Best regards,
Maggie

I am writing as an owner and resident of Natura, 82 Waterloo Rd, Macquarie Park, 2113 to voice my formal objection to the Application No. SSD-94006708 lodged by Cottonwood Development Pty Ltd as part of the public exhibition phase.

In addition to the submissions and comments made on behalf of the Owners Corporation of SP104187 (82 Waterloo Road), which I fully endorse, I also submit the following:

I object to the proposed amendments to increase the maximum building height from 65 metres to 212 metres and to increase the approved number of apartments from 255 to 858.

This proposal represents an extreme intensification of the site that is not justified by planning merit, public benefit, or consistency with the established planning framework for Macquarie Park.

1. Excessive increase in height and density

The proposed uplift from 65 metres to 212 metres is extraordinary and wholly disproportionate to the original approval. It would create a tower of a scale and massing that is out of character with its surrounding context and far beyond what residents, landowners, and the broader community could reasonably have expected under the existing planning controls.

The increase from 255 apartments to 858 apartments is equally concerning. This is not a minor amendment; it is a wholesale redevelopment of the project into something fundamentally different in scale, impact, and intent.

2. Unjustified financial windfall to the developer

The proposal appears to confer an extraordinary financial windfall on the developer. Such a substantial increase in permissible development yield would significantly enhance commercial returns without any obvious corresponding public benefit.

This is antithetical to fair and reasonable public policy. Planning changes of this magnitude should not operate as a mechanism for private gain unless there is a clear, demonstrable, and proportionate public benefit in return.

3. Unfairness to prior owners and residents

The proposal also raises serious fairness concerns. Previous owner residents and investors likely to have sold or made decisions in reliance on a maximum building height of 65 metres. This does not give owners any confidence in government planning and decision making.

To now permit a tower more than three times that height appears to retrospectively alter the basis on which those decisions were made. It gives the impression that prior parties have been disadvantaged while the current proponent receives an unearned planning advantage.

4. Inconsistent with the Macquarie Park context

The comparison with other developments in Macquarie Park demonstrates that this proposal is excessive for its location. The Meriton development on Talavera Road, which rises to around 60 storeys, is located on the outer edge of the precinct adjacent to the M2 motorway.

By contrast, this site is in the heart of Macquarie Park. A tower of this scale here will stand out sharply and dominate the local skyline in a manner that is not appropriate for the site’s central position.

5. Overshadowing and loss of amenity

The proposal will cause significant overshadowing of surrounding natural and built environments, including streams, trees, parks, and existing apartment buildings that have been developed under the prevailing 20 storey height limit.

This would have a direct adverse impact on local amenity, access to sunlight, and the environmental quality of the precinct. It would also undermine the reasonable expectations of existing residents and owners who complied with the height framework applying to their own developments.

6. Transport and traffic impacts

The increase in dwellings will place substantial strain on the local road network and transport services. The development will generate heavy demand from residents, visitors, delivery drivers, service vehicles, maintenance contractors, and other daily traffic.

This additional load will worsen congestion and is likely to negatively affect bus operations, including reliability, scheduling, and general service performance. The transport consequences of a development of this magnitude have not been adequately justified.

7. Retail and commercial claims are overstated

Any supposed public benefit from retail or commercial floor space should be treated with caution. In our own experience, commercial and retail space can remain vacant and unoccupied since completion of the building. These spaces are not commercially viable.

With a major shopping centre located nearby, additional small-scale retail associated with this kind of apartment tower is unlikely to be economically sustainable or to deliver any real community benefit.

8. No credible contribution to housing affordability

There is no clear basis to conclude that this proposal will assist the housing affordability crisis. Apartments in large towers of this type are typically marketed as premium or luxury stock.

A two-bedroom apartment in a relatively new building at a higher level in Macquarie Park is already around $1.5 million. It is therefore reasonable to expect that new apartments in a 212 metre tower would be priced well above that level. Such product does not meaningfully increase affordable housing supply.

Macquarie Park already contains substantial land and buildings, both commercial and residential, within existing 20 storey envelopes that could be used to increase housing stock at lower cost and with less disruption especially nearer Macquarie Park Metro Station. There are also better opportunities for additional housing supply further along the Metro line, where development can be accommodated with less harm to established community character.

9. Planning policy and alternative capacity

NSW’s affordable housing settings link meaningful planning bonuses to the actual delivery of affordable housing, not merely to increased yield. The in-fill affordable housing framework provides for bonuses only where affordable housing is genuinely delivered, including settings of 10% to 15% affordable housing. That policy approach reinforces the point that density uplift must be tied to real public benefit.

10. In summary, I submit these grounds for refusal:

(a) No public interest justification exists for the extreme scale increase

(b) Precedent risk - will encourage speculative rezoning applications across established precincts

(c) Infrastructure incapacity - local roads, services cannot support this density

(d) Character destruction - obliterates Macquarie Park’s planned urban form

(e) Unfair windfall - private gain without public benefit is planning abuse

(f) Affordability failure - luxury product worsens market imbalance

I hope the department genuinely considers these issues and understands the negative impact on Macquarie Park that it will cause in approving such a departure from existing planning. Help us persevere the community, its values with reasonable and just development.

Thank you for your attention.

As a resident living in the nearby area, I strongly oppose this project. Our neighborhood is already under severe pressure due to the increasing number of high-rise buildings. The additional population has led to heavy traffic congestion and overburdened local shops and services. Everyday activities like commuting and grocery shopping have become unnecessarily difficult. These changes are seriously affecting the quality of life for existing residents. For these reasons, I believe this project should not move forward.