As a resident in the vicinity of the project site, I am writing formally to OBJECT to the development proposal currently on exhibition.

I believe the proposed project would have a detrimental impact on the local community and the environment for the following reasons:

A) MPACT ON CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

The scale, height and massing of the proposed towers and the podium block are out of character with the existing and coming developments in the area. All surrounding developments, completed or otherwise, have a height of around 20 storeys (as per current approved DA for the site). Proposed height, thus Floor Space ratio, is just too excessive for this site. Cannot use Meriton Trilogy as a example or precedent as Meriton's site is quite unique and suitable for buildings with more floors/higher density. It is away from the main residential developments in Macquarie Park and bordered by the M2 and the Lane Cove National Park on one side and Macquarie University and related offices on the other.

B) LOSS OF SOLAR ACCESS AND OVERSHADOWING

The height of the 2 towers will definitely have an impact on surrounding buildings. Lower level of buildings between Lachlan Avenue and Herring Road (specifically the 3-student accommodation properties). Apartments facing Northwest of the existing Meriton Viciniti residential block and the proposed residential block on 12-16 Cottonwood Crescent, will also be impacted by the height of the 2 towers. Lower height will have less impact.

Overshadowing goes hand in hand with solar access. The scale and bulk of this proposed development will definitely result in a greater area being overshadowed as compared to original approved plans.

C) TRAFFIC AND PARKING CONCERNS

The current infrastructure cannot support the increased traffic volume this proposed development will generate. The revised plan to increase density adds to increase vehicle numbers and traffic volume. As it is, without many sites not being developed, parking outside the 2 hours weekday limit is scarce. It will only get worse!! It is a fallacy to believe that you do not need a car if you stay close to public transport.

The current traffic flow getting into and out of the area bounded by Herring Road and Cottonwood Crescent is via Windsor Drive and Cottonwood Crescent. Getting in from Epping Road requires you to turn right on Herring into Windsor Drive. The turning right bay can only accommodate about 5 cars, anymore will severely impact the next lane going straight towers Talavera Road/Macquarie Center. Traffic going straight on the lane will be at a standstill until right turning traffic into Windsor Drive is cleared.

That turning area is also a bit of a danger zone with Epping Road bound traffic from Saunders Close making U-turns to head towards Epping Road. With more apartments and more traffic, this concern needs to be considered. We just cannot keep increasing the residential density within this particular area (bounded by Herring Road, Cottonwood Crescent and Waterloo Road.

Similarly, the right turning lane from Herring Road towards Mahogany Avenue into the Midtown site, is also an issue. This turning lane accommodates also about 5 cars. Anymore, it impacts the lane going towards Talavera Road: and also, traffic turning right from Epping Road towards Herring Road.


CONCLUSION

This revised proposal is overly ambitious and totally out of character for the site. Developers cannot just use closeness to metro station to justify the increase in density, especially the height. The site is just not right for development of this height, let alone 2 towers.

I am writing to object to the development at 15-21 Cottonwood Cres, Macquarie Park proposed under SSD-94006708 predominantly on the grounds of non compliant scale, excessive height and density (FSR), lack of parking, over-shadowing and impacts to solar access to neighbouring properties and local community discord with the proposed development as detailed in the attached submission.

Cottonwood Crescent is very short street only from No.1 to 21, I object building two
blocks of 59 levels apartments there, most important from beginning only allow to
build under 30 levels, why suddenly can approve big different from the beginning
construction plan. Do you know that it will occur big traffic jam in Cottonwood Crescent,
also suddenly increase too many population how to solve the Metro & Bus public transportation. Now shopping Centre can’t provide enough supermarkets & clinics unless this two Building can build a few levels for shopping center to solve this problem.
I object to build two tower apartments in Cottonwood Crescent, Macquarie Park.

I object to the proposed development of two residential towers (52 and 60 storeys) at 15-21 Cottonwood Crescent. While I support the growth of Macquarie Park, I believe these towers must be limited to 20 storeys to ensure public safety, infrastructure viability, and neighborhood character.

1. Critical Fire Safety & Operational Risks
The proposed height represents a radical departure from the established 20-storey limit, creating unacceptable risks to public safety under Section 4.15(1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
• Aerial Inaccessibility: Standard Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) aerial ladders and 'Bronto' platforms have a maximum reach of ~45 meters (roughly 15 storeys). At 60 storeys, over 75% of the building is unreachable for external firefighting and rescue operations.
• Physical Constraints: Cottonwood Crescent is a narrow carriage further constricted by dual-sided on-street parking. This geometry is insufficient for the stable deployment of high-reach aerial pumpers or the maneuvering of heavy vehicles during multi-agency responses.
• Infrastructure Audit: We request a formal Site-Specific Fire Safety Audit by FRNSW to confirm if a 60-storey tower is even serviceable on a local-access street of this width.

2. Infrastructure & Traffic Saturation
For the residents who live along Cottonwood Crescent, Peach Tree Road, Lachlan Avenue and Windsor Drive, they could drive their cars to leave their living place or return to their living place via two intersections only. That is, the intersection of Cottonwood Crescent and Waterloo Road, and the intersection of Windsor Drive and Herring Road. Please note that there are no traffic lights on these intersections. In addition, these streets allow on-street parking on both sides of the streets. It makes the streets so narrow that vehicles in opposite directions must travel slowly to ensure safety.

Currently, there are many low-rise apartments along Cottonwood Crescent, Peach Tree Road, Lachian Avenue and Windsor Drive. In the near future, they will be re-developed into high-rise apartments. Therefore, it is expected that this area will be turned into a highly populated area and these streets will be overloaded with traffic, in particular during rush hours. If we allow the developer to build two residential towers up to 52 and 60 storeys, it will further overload the street’s capacity to an unbearable point, and lead to traffic bottlenecks at the two intersections mentioned above. During the rush hours, residents along these streets may have to queue up their cars within their apartments’ carparks because they may be unable to leave their carparks due to the traffic congestion on the streets.

Setting up traffic lights at these two intersections mentioned above may not solve the problem. Drivers who want to enter Cottonwood Crescent and Windsor Drive may have to queue up their vehicles on Waterloo Road and Herring Road respectively. This will create a domino effect and worsen the traffic conditions on Waterloo Road and Herring Road.

3. Visual & Landscape Impact
Currently, the high-rise character of the Macquarie Shopping Centre and University campus is defined by a consistent benchmark of approximately 20 storeys. This height creates a balanced skyline that respects the human scale at the street level. By tripling this height, the proposed 60-storey towers would become an overbearing physical presence, shattering the visual equilibrium of the area.

Proponents may point to the 59-storey Trilogy Tower as a precedent. However, this comparison is geographically flawed. The Trilogy Tower is situated on the outer boundary of the precinct, acting as a "gateway" marker that transitions into the broader city skyline. In contrast, the Cottonwood Crescent site sits near the heart of the residential core. Placing such massive density in the center of a neighborhood violates fundamental principles of sensitive urban design. It places the most intense visual bulk where it has the greatest impact on the largest number of local residents, and strips away the sense of openness that currently defines the area.

To: The Assessing Officer / Consent Authority, NSW Department of Planning & Environment / City of Ryde
From: The Owners Corporation – Strata Plan 106301 ("Viciniti", 2 Cottonwood Crescent, Macquarie Park)
Date: April 9, 2026
Subject: FORMAL OBJECTION – Proposed Development at 15-21 Cottonwood Crescent, Macquarie Park

To the Assessing Officer,
We write on behalf of The Owners – Strata Plan 106301, representing the residents and owners of the adjoining "Viciniti" building at 2 Cottonwood Crescent.
The Owners Corporation strongly objects to the proposed mixed-use development at 15-21 Cottonwood Crescent. After reviewing the proposal, it is clear that this development represents a severe overdevelopment of the site that disregards established planning controls, introduces critical life-safety risks, and severely threatens the structural amenity of adjoining properties.

Our statutory objections are categorized as follows:
1. Critical Life Safety and Fire Fighting Limitations
The proposal for a high-rise tower (approaching 60 storeys) introduces an unacceptable life-safety risk. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) aerial platforms and ladder trucks are generally restricted to an operational reach of approximately 20 storeys (27 to 44 metres). Approving a residential tower of this unprecedented height in this specific precinct places a massive, unmitigable burden on emergency services and compromises the safety of future occupants and adjoining buildings.

2. Gross Exceedance of Planning Controls and Precedent
The proposed bulk, scale, and height are entirely inconsistent with the established local character and the City of Ryde’s intended planning controls. Previous approvals in this immediate precinct have been rightfully restricted to under 20 storeys. Approving this development would set a highly destructive precedent for the Macquarie Park corridor, completely abandoning established Floor Space Ratio (FSR) and maximum height limits under the guise of housing targets, despite the Ryde area having already met its proposed affordable housing quotas.

3. Severe Infrastructure and Transport Overcapacity
The Macquarie Park precinct is already operating at an infrastructure deficit. The introduction of a mega-tower will exponentially compound existing failures:
• Transport: The local road network, particularly Cottonwood Crescent and Waterloo Road, is already heavily congested. The development will generate unacceptable traffic yields that the current intersections cannot absorb.
• Community Infrastructure: There is a well-documented, critical shortage of supporting infrastructure in the immediate area. Local public schools, hospitals (such as Royal North Shore and Ryde Hospital), and childcare facilities are already at overcapacity. The DA fails to demonstrate how this localized infrastructure deficit will be addressed.

4. Direct Impact on Adjoining Properties (Dilapidation and Amenity)
As a directly adjoining massive Strata Scheme, SP 106301 holds severe concerns regarding the construction phase of a project of this magnitude.
• Structural Risk: Deep excavation directly adjacent to our site poses a severe dilapidation risk. Our scheme is already managing complex basement water ingress issues, and massive localized excavation threatens to alter the hydrostatic pressure and structural stability of our basement levels.
• Construction Traffic: Cottonwood Crescent cannot safely accommodate the heavy-vehicle queuing required for a multi-year mega-project. This will block access for our residents, waste management services, and emergency vehicles.

Conclusion
The proposal at 15-21 Cottonwood Crescent is a severe overreach that fails to satisfy the basic tenets of sustainable urban planning. It prioritizes density at the expense of life safety, infrastructure capacity, and the structural amenity of adjoining neighbors.

The Owners – SP 106301 formally requests that the consent authority refuse this application in its entirety.

Sincerely,
The Strata Committee
For and on behalf of The Owners – Strata Plan 106301

I have been living on Cottonwood Crescent for 2 and half years. The street is getting busier and noiser everyday. There are at least another 2 more projects planned . Theses 2 projects will add about 1000 units/accommodations to Cottonwood Crescent . This Cottonwood Crescent will not manage to accommodate such a hugh inflow of people.
Actually, the original plan for 15-21 is already too much. 60 storey building is ridiculous.
It will hurt the living conditions of the residents nearby and make the area look ugly!

Dear Council Members,

I am writing to formally object to the proposed development at 15-21 Cottonwood Crescent. The proposal includes the construction of two residential towers of up to 52 and 60 storeys, comprising approximately 858 residential units. I also strongly object to the proposed amendment to the Ryde Local Environmental Plan 2014, in particular the increase in the maximum building height from 65 metres to 212 metres.

This proposal represents a significant and unreasonable intensification of development in the area and raises a number of serious concerns.

Firstly, the project will substantially increase population density, placing considerable pressure on existing local infrastructure. This pressure extends beyond traditional municipal systems such as drainage, waste management, electricity, and water supply, to broader public services including public transport (bus and metro), the road network, and surrounding retail and commercial facilities.

It is important to note that the area has already experienced ongoing medium- to high-density development in recent years, with a noticeable increase in population volume and density. In this context, introducing a development of this scale—significantly exceeding the surrounding built form—will compound existing pressures and create cumulative impacts. There are clear concerns as to whether current public transport capacity, road network performance, and local commercial services can accommodate such a substantial increase in population. This proposal risks overloading multiple systems and may result in long-term adverse impacts on the convenience and liveability of the area for existing residents.

Secondly, the proposal will further exacerbate pressure on local education and healthcare services. Nearby primary and secondary schools, as well as childcare facilities, have limited capacity, while access to general practitioners and basic healthcare services is already constrained. In the context of ongoing population growth, these issues are not isolated but cumulative, compounded by multiple developments across the area.

Without corresponding expansion of education and healthcare infrastructure, an increase of this scale will further reduce service accessibility, extend waiting times, and negatively impact residents’ ability to access essential services. It is therefore critical that the additional demand generated by this proposal be subject to careful and comprehensive assessment, and that infrastructure provision be aligned with the scale of development.

Furthermore, the proposed building height presents a major concern. Increasing the maximum height from 65 metres to 212 metres represents a significant departure from existing planning controls and is inconsistent with the established low- to medium-density residential character of the area. Such an amendment undermines the integrity of the current planning framework and may set an undesirable precedent for future overdevelopment.

In addition, the height and bulk of the proposed towers will result in significant privacy and overshadowing impacts. Surrounding properties will be subject to overlooking, reducing residents’ privacy, while reduced access to natural sunlight will negatively affect the overall residential environment, outdoor spaces, and quality of life.

Environmental impacts must also be considered. Development at this scale typically reduces shared green space and contributes to the urban heat island effect. These outcomes are inconsistent with the principles of sustainable urban development and will diminish the overall environmental quality of the community.

Parking and traffic impacts are also a key concern. On-street parking in the area is already limited, and the influx of new residents will inevitably increase demand, resulting in overflow parking into surrounding streets, increased congestion, and reduced safety for both pedestrians and drivers.
Finally, I question whether this proposal is consistent with the objectives of the Ryde Local Environmental Plan 2014. In terms of scale, height, and density, the development appears excessive and incompatible with the existing planning vision for the area.

For the reasons outlined above, I respectfully request that Council reject this proposal and carefully reconsider any amendments that would permit development of this scale.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my submission.

Yours sincerely,
A concerned resident

RE: FORMAL OBJECTION – SSD-94006708 – Mixed Use Development at 15-21 Cottonwood Crescent, Macquarie Park

I am writing to formally submit a comprehensive objection to the proposed State Significant Development (SSD-94006708). As a resident currently living within an apartment in this precinct, I am uniquely positioned to witness the escalating degradation of our local amenity. This proposal, involving 858 units across two towers, is not merely an addition to the skyline; it is a manifestation of a planning strategy that is failing the people of New South Wales by prioritising developer yield over human-centric urban design and housing diversity.

1. The Crisis of Monocultural Housing and the 'Apartment Trap'
The primary basis of my objection is the systematic over-supply of high-density apartments at the expense of a balanced housing market. For years, the NSW Government has directed almost all new residential growth in Macquarie Park and surrounding Metro hubs into high-rise formats. This has created a 'monocultural' housing environment.

We, the people already living in apartments, find ourselves trapped in a vertical cycle. Many of us moved into these units with the hope of eventually transitioning into semi-detached or detached homes as our families grew or our life stages changed. However, by continually approving massive projects like 15-21 Cottonwood Crescent, the government is effectively cannibalising the land that should be used for diverse housing types. There is a glaring lack of commitment to building 'missing middle' housing—townhouses, terraces, and detached dwellings—within the Sydney basin.

By allowing this project to proceed, the Department is reinforcing a 'one-size-fits-all' housing policy that leaves residents with no choice but to stay in high-density environments, even when those environments no longer meet their needs. This is not 'solving' the housing crisis; it is creating a future where the Australian dream of a home with a yard is permanently replaced by a 60-square-meter glass box.

2. Cumulative Infrastructure Failure and the 'Metro Justification'
The proximity to the new Macquarie University and Macquarie Park Metro stations is constantly used as a 'get out of jail free card' for developers to exceed reasonable density limits. However, the physical infrastructure of the streets remains fixed.

Traffic and Intersection Saturation: Cottonwood Crescent is a narrow residential artery. Adding the vehicle movements associated with 858 dwellings, plus delivery vehicles for ground-floor retail, will lead to total gridlock. The 'spillover' effect onto Waterloo Road and Lane Cove Road is already severe during peak periods. This development will push these intersections past the point of failure.

Social Infrastructure Deficit: Where is the proportional increase in schools, hospitals, and community centres? Macquarie Park is becoming a dormitory suburb where thousands of people are stacked on top of one another with no increase in the 'lungs' of the city—parks and open green spaces.

3. Acoustic Saturation and the 'Canyon Effect'
Noise pollution is a health and safety issue that is consistently undervalued in Environmental Impact Statements. As a current apartment dweller, I can attest that the 'urban hum' in Macquarie Park has reached a tipping point.

The construction of two massive towers over a shared podium will involve years of high-impact noise—drilling, piling, and heavy haulage—that will reverberate off existing buildings. Once completed, the 'canyon effect' created by these towers will trap and amplify street noise, sirens, and mechanical plant sounds from rooftops. For those of us who work from home or have young children, this constant acoustic assault significantly diminishes our mental well-being and right to quiet enjoyment of our homes.

4. Air Quality and Environmental Degradation
The environmental cost of this project is staggering. The carbon footprint of a dual-tower concrete construction of this scale is immense. Furthermore, the localised air quality during the construction phase—which is likely to span several years—will be characterised by high levels of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10).

In an era where we are concerned about 'urban heat islands', this project proposes to replace ground-level permeability with a massive common podium and glass facades. This architecture reflects heat, increases local temperatures, and eliminates the potential for the deep-soil planting required for a healthy tree canopy. We are trading the oxygen-producing potential of the land for the heat-retaining properties of concrete.

5. The Fallacy of the 10% Affordable Housing Quota
While the proposal mentions a 10% allocation for affordable housing, this is a tokenistic gesture that does not justify the 90% of luxury or market-rate density that will overshadow the rest of the community. 'Affordability' is not just about the initial rent; it is about the livability of the suburb. By making the suburb more congested, noisier, and harder to navigate, the government is decreasing the 'value' of living here for everyone else.

6. Visual Amenity and Privacy
The sheer height and bulk of these towers will result in significant overshadowing of existing residential buildings and public domains. Privacy is also a major concern. The 'overlooking' issues from 858 new balconies into existing apartments will turn our private sanctuaries into fishbowls. The planning portal documents fail to adequately address how the privacy of the existing community is being protected against this new wall of windows.

7. Conclusion: A Call for Strategic Refusal
The NSW Government needs to stop viewing Macquarie Park as a bottomless pit for high-rise development. We have reached our capacity. We are tired of being told that 'density is the only way' while the government ignores the desperate need for semi-detached and detached homes.

I object to this project because:

It exacerbates the housing imbalance, trapping residents in an apartment-only market.

It introduces unsustainable levels of noise and air pollution.

It places an unmanageable burden on local roads and social infrastructure.

It destroys the privacy and visual amenity of existing residents.

I request that the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure refuse this application in its entirety and demand a redesign that focuses on lower density, increased green space, and housing types that actually reflect the long-term needs of the NSW population.

Sincerely,