Please see attached letter of support for the Queenwood Sports Development at Oxford Falls

To Whom It May Concern,

On behalf of the Manly Womens hockey club, we write in strong support of the Development Application submitted by Queenwood School for the proposed sporting complex at Oxford Falls, including the construction of a multipurpose outdoor pitch suitable for hockey and soccer, with associated floodlighting.
Our Womens club consists of five teams, with players ranging in age from 15 to over 50. We represent a broad cross-section of the Northern Beaches community — school students, university students, working professionals, and mothers — all united by a shared commitment to playing and promoting hockey.

Despite the strong participation base for hockey in our area, there is currently no full-sized synthetic turf hockey pitch within our local government area. This longstanding lack of infrastructure has a significant impact on our club and our players. We are required to travel a minimum of 40 minutes each way, several times a week, to access the nearest suitable facilities in the Ryde and Ku-ring-gai areas for both training and competition.

These travel demands create substantial barriers to participation. Late-night training times, long commutes, and the strain on work, school, and family commitments make it increasingly difficult to retain players — particularly juniors and women balancing employment and caregiving responsibilities. For some members, the burden is becoming unsustainable, and we are at risk of losing players to other sports simply because they can be played locally.

The proposed multipurpose pitch at Oxford Falls would be transformative for our club and for women’s hockey on the Northern Beaches. The facility would:
• Address the critical shortage of full-sized synthetic hockey facilities in our area.
• Support strong and growing participation across multiple age groups.
• Enable reasonable training times, improving player wellbeing and safety.
• Reduce travel time and traffic impacts associated with teams leaving the area for training and games.
• Strengthen community connection by allowing local clubs, schools, and associations to share and utilise a high-quality facility.

Importantly, access to a local synthetic pitch would support the continued growth of women’s sport. Our five teams demonstrate the depth of interest and commitment among women and girls to remain active in hockey across all life stages. Providing appropriate infrastructure locally is essential to sustaining and expanding this participation.

We believe this proposal represents a significant and much-needed investment in community sporting infrastructure. While initiated by Queenwood School, the benefits will extend well beyond the school community and serve the broader Northern Beaches region.

For these reasons, our club strongly supports approval of this Development Application.

Yours faithfully,
Manly Womens Hockey Club

Submission in Support of Development Application – Sporting Complex at Oxford Falls (Queenwood School)

I write in strong support of the Development Application lodged by Queenwood School for the proposed sporting complex at Oxford Falls, including a multipurpose outdoor pitch suitable for hockey and soccer, with associated floodlighting.

As a local resident and a hockey player who has played turf hockey with Manly Hockey club for over 20 years, I can attest to the significant and longstanding shortage of full-sized synthetic hockey fields within our local government area. In that entire time, there has not been one full-sized turf hockey pitch available locally. This is a critical gap in community sporting infrastructure.

The demand for access to quality hockey facilities is extremely high. The proposed field would not only serve the students of Queenwood School but would provide a much-needed resource for the broader community. Local hockey associations, clubs, and players are currently required to travel substantial distances multiple times per week simply to train and compete. These sporting bodies would all welcome an opportunity to utilize this sporting facility outside of the school needs & could guarantee that it would be utilized.

The proposed multipurpose pitch, with appropriate floodlighting, represents a vital investment in local sporting infrastructure. It would:
• Address a longstanding deficiency in full-sized synthetic hockey facilities.
• Support growing community demand for both hockey and soccer.
• Reduce travel times and associated traffic impacts caused by residents leaving the area for training and games.
• Promote health, wellbeing, and community connection through accessible local sport.
• Enable greater participation by juniors, working adults, and families who are currently constrained by distance and late-night training times.

Importantly, providing local access to high-quality sporting facilities encourages lifelong participation in sport and helps retain players within the local sporting community.

For these reasons, I strongly support the approval of this Development Application. The proposed sporting complex at Oxford Falls is a forward-thinking and much-needed investment that will deliver substantial and lasting benefits to both the school and the wider Northern Beaches community.
Yours sincerely,
Kim Dunkin

I support the project

This project represents a critical and long-overdue investment in the future of Manly Men's Hockey Club and the broader sporting community across the Northern Beaches. For more than a decade, the absence of a dedicated synthetic hockey field within the region has been the single greatest barrier to participation, retention, and long-term sustainability. The proposed development of a synthetic multi-purpose sports field at Queenwood School for Girls in Oxford Falls presents a rare and transformative opportunity to reverse this decline and re-establish hockey as a visible, accessible, and thriving sport within the local community.

At present, families living on the Northern Beaches must travel at least 30 minutes each way to Ku-ring-gai Hockey Centre for both training and competition. In many cases, travel times are significantly longer depending on traffic and game scheduling. For junior players, particularly those in the U12 age group, this often means waking up early and leaving home more than an hour before their scheduled match just to arrive in time for warm-up. This routine is repeated week after week throughout the season. The cumulative effect is substantial — increased fuel and transport costs, lost family time, fatigue for young athletes, and an ongoing logistical strain on parents and volunteers.

In comparison to other major sports available on the Northern Beaches — such as rugby league, AFL, football and netball — where facilities are located within local suburbs, this travel expectation places hockey at a clear disadvantage. When families are choosing which sport their children will commit to long-term, convenience and accessibility are decisive factors. The current travel burden has directly contributed to a gradual but consistent decline in player numbers, particularly at junior entry levels. Without local infrastructure, recruitment is difficult and retention is even harder.

The lack of a home field has also impacted the club at a senior and competitive level. Five years ago, Manly Warringah Men's Hockey Club merged with Gordon North Sydney Hockey Club (GNS) in order to maintain sufficient numbers to compete in the premier league competition. While the merger was necessary to preserve a pathway for elite players, it was fundamentally driven by the structural disadvantage of not having a home facility. The primary venue, Ku-ring-gai Hockey Centre, is historically and culturally the home of GNS. As a result, Manly players operate without a true home ground, limiting the club’s ability to foster identity, host community events, attract sponsors, run development clinics, and build a strong club culture rooted in place.

A home venue is more than just a playing surface — it is the foundation of a club’s identity. It is where juniors watch senior players compete and aspire to progress. It is where families gather, volunteers contribute, and community pride develops. Without this physical anchor, the club’s ability to grow independently, build competitiveness, and re-establish itself as a leading sporting organisation on the Northern Beaches remains constrained.

The proposed synthetic field at Oxford Falls would fundamentally change this trajectory. By significantly reducing travel times, it would remove one of the largest barriers to entry for new participants. It would make mid-week training sessions practical for school-aged children and working families. It would create opportunities to introduce school-based programs, holiday clinics, beginner competitions, and female participation pathways. It would allow the club to expand from grassroots through to senior and representative levels with a clear, visible, and locally based development pathway.

Importantly, this facility would also position the Northern Beaches to meet growing sporting demand. Population growth across the region continues to increase pressure on existing facilities. A multi-purpose synthetic field capable of accommodating hockey alongside other sports ensures efficient use of infrastructure while delivering maximum community benefit. The floodlit surface would extend usable hours, enabling shared access between school programs, club training, junior competitions, and senior fixtures.

From a governance and strategic perspective, the establishment of a local field provides a pathway for Manly to re-strengthen its independence, rebuild membership numbers, and create sustainable long-term growth. It would restore competitiveness at premier league level by allowing structured player development from junior ranks through to elite competition within the same geographic community.

Most importantly, this project is about far more than infrastructure. It is about equity of access to sport for families on the Northern Beaches. It is about reducing burnout for volunteers and parents. It is about creating healthier, more active communities. It is about rebuilding pride in a historic sporting club. And it is about ensuring that hockey — a sport with strong Australian heritage and international success — has a genuine opportunity to flourish locally.

Without this facility, the gradual decline in participation is likely to continue. With it, hockey on the Northern Beaches has the opportunity not just to survive, but to grow, compete, and thrive for generations to come.

The development of a new sporting facility represents a strategic, evidence-based investment in our community’s future. It will improve public health, strengthen youth engagement, stimulate economic activity, and enhance overall quality of life.

We respectfully urge the government to prioritise funding and planning for this essential infrastructure project.

By investing today, we build a healthier, stronger, and more connected community for generations to come.

I live in North Narrabeen and have played hockey for 25 years in a variety of competions, ranging from grass hockey at the Freshwater fields to turf hockey at Sydney Olympic Park and further. There are no full-sized pitches suitable to hockey anywhere on the Northern Beaches. This proposal will not just benefit Queenwood school but this facility will also be fully utilized at other times by local sporting groups, such as my own local hockey club, Manly Hockey. I currently have to travel long distances to play and compete outside of the region, so I am in strong support of this Project which will fill a much needed gap in the local sporting infrastructure.

As a local resident I am in strong support of this Proposal. This multipurpose outdoor pitch would be suitable for hockey and addresses a lack of these types of sporting facilities in the local area. As a hockey player myself, I have to travel up to an hour to get to the hockey turf at Ryde to train, with our pitch time being 9.15pm to 10.15pm on a Tuesday night. I also play in the SWHL competition on a Sunday, to which I can travel to Sutherland, Moorebank, Pennant Hills or Sydney Olympic Park for. Although this proposal is initiated by Queenwood School there would be a benefit to the wider community who would also have usage of this pitch outside of the schools requirements.

This development represents a much needed investment in local sporting infrastructure which is well overdue. This sporting complex will provide the first full-sized synthetic surface that is suitable to hockey within the Region. As a hockey player within this LGA this will make a huge impact to be able to play and train locally instead of having to travel significant distance to suitable facilities. The local hockey clubs will work in collaboration with Queenwood school to ensure maximum usage of the facility, not just for school purposes.

The demand for access to quality hockey facilities is extremely high. The proposed field would not only serve the students of Queenwood School but would provide a much-needed resource for the broader community. Local hockey associations, clubs, and players are currently required to travel substantial distances multiple times per week simply to train and compete.

It will addresses the critical shortage of full-sized synthetic hockey facilities in our area. This Proposal represents a much needed investment that will deliver substantial benefits to both the school and the wider community.

Enables greater participation by juniors and seniors who are currently constrained by distance and late-night training times. I plan to get my chilren into hockey, however, the late night training time slot and the need to travel with no option for 'home games' is a huge barrier.

Sporting groups such as Manly Hockey Club would welcome an opportunity to utilize this facility outside of the school needs and could guarantee maximized usage.

Local resident
19 Vine Street
Redfern NSW 2016

1 May 2025

Thomas Piovesan
Planning Officer
Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
Locked Bag 5022
Parramatta NSW 2124

Re: Objection to SSD-70066710 – Hudson Vine Mixed Use Redevelopment

Dear Thomas,

I am writing as a resident of 19 Vine Street, Redfern, to formally object to the proposed Hudson Vine Mixed Use Redevelopment (SSD-70066710). After reviewing the Environmental Impact Statement and related documents, I believe the development, in its current form, is wholly inappropriate for our neighbourhood and presents significant adverse impacts on the amenity, character, and liveability of Vine Street and the surrounding heritage precinct.

My concerns are outlined below:

1. Overshadowing of Vine Street Terraces
The proposed building will cause a drastic reduction in solar access to my home and other terraces along Vine Street. Currently, we receive approximately 9 hours of sunlight during winter. The development will reduce this to just 2 hours between 1pm and 3pm—a 55% overall loss and a 66% reduction during the ADG-defined critical window. This is not compliant with the Apartment Design Guide (ADG), BEP1, or Housing SEPP, all of which seek to protect solar access.

As our terraces are heritage-listed, there is no possibility to adapt or renovate to recover this lost sunlight. Our primary living rooms rely entirely on front-facing windows and will become cold and dark as a result of the overshadowing.

2. Inappropriate Height, Bulk and Scale
The proposed building exceeds the intended 5-storey limit, reaching nearly 23 metres in height—more than 7 metres above what is reasonable for this area. This massive scale is out of context with surrounding 2- and 3-storey terraces and contradicts both the visual intent and urban design principles of the Redfern-Waterloo Built Environment Plan (Stage One) and the ADG.

3. Visual Impact and Sky View Loss
Our current outlook includes significant open sky views from our windows and the street. These would be blocked entirely by the proposed development. The visual impact assessment submitted by the applicant omits key perspectives—particularly from Vine and Eveleigh Streets—and fails to provide an accurate representation of the resulting loss of sky, openness, and human-scale character.

4. Privacy Intrusions
The proposal places balconies and windows that overlook the private rear yards and bedrooms of Vine Street terraces and adjoining Abercrombie Street properties. This direct line of sight into our homes is an unacceptable invasion of privacy and is contrary to the Housing SEPP and ADG, which require protection of visual privacy through appropriate building separation and screening.

5. Inadequate Justification for Height Variation
The Clause 16A variation request fails to demonstrate that the height breach is justified. It contains unsubstantiated claims—for example, that the height is “modest” and that there is no solar impact. These are demonstrably false. The proposal does not meet the Wehbe tests, nor does it offer site-specific planning grounds to justify the excessive height. Compliant alternatives—such as adjusted ceiling heights or redistribution of floor space—are clearly available.

Conclusion and Request
This development poses unacceptable impacts on residential amenity, heritage character, and environmental sustainability. Planning controls and design guidelines exist to protect exactly these values. Allowing this proposal to proceed in its current form would undermine the integrity of our planning system and set a harmful precedent for overdevelopment in sensitive heritage areas.

I respectfully request that the application be refused or significantly amended to ensure:
• Full compliance with 3- and 5-storey height limits;
• Maintenance of solar access for neighbouring terraces;
• Preservation of privacy and outlook for existing homes;
• Visual impact assessments from all key public viewpoints;
• A revised Clause 16A request grounded in facts and site-specific reasoning.

Thank you for considering this submission.

Yours sincerely,
Local Resident, 19 Vine Street
Redfern NSW 2016