OBJECTION TO STATE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION SSD-84467726
Kogarah Golf Club Redevelopment, Concept Proposal and Stage 1 Works
13-19A Marsh Street, Arncliffe

Position: I object to this application.

I am writing to object to SSD-84467726 in its entirety, and in particular to the inclusion of a data centre among the permitted uses within the Concept Proposal. The site sits directly beside the Cooks River, opposite Sydney Airport, and immediately adjacent to established housing. On environmental, resource and amenity grounds, this location is unsuitable for a data centre of the scale contemplated by buildings of up to 70 metres.

1. Excessive and unassessed water consumption

Data centres are among the most water-intensive developments approved anywhere, and comparable NSW proposals confirm this locally. Goodman's proposed 90 megawatt Project Mars data centre at Lane Cove West, currently on exhibition, is expected to use 510,009 cubic metres, over 510 million litres, of drinking water a year for cooling. AirTrunk's proposed 1.2 gigawatt Mamre Road facility at Kemps Creek is expected to use 22.4 million litres a year. Internationally, a 100 megawatt hyperscale facility can consume around 2 million litres a day, equivalent to 6,500 homes, and Google's average data centre uses about 2.1 million litres a day. In Cerrillos, Chile, a proposed Google data centre's cooling system, set to draw up to 7.6 million litres a day from a drought-affected aquifer, was abandoned after community opposition. Seven years on it remains unbuilt. This application discloses no figures for the proposed water draw, source, or proportion of potable supply required.

2. Unsustainable electricity demand and grid strain

Data centres are placing severe strain on electricity grids internationally. In Ireland, data centres already consume around 21 to 22 per cent of national electricity, projected to reach 30 to 32 per cent within a few years, prompting a partial moratorium on new Dublin-area connections due to blackout risk. NSW is following the same trajectory. As at March 2026 there were 44 data centres in the state development pipeline totalling 11.4 gigawatts, equivalent to nearly four Eraring power stations, Australia's largest coal-fired plant. Sydney data centres already draw around 4 per cent of NSW's grid electricity, forecast to almost triple to 11 per cent by 2030. AEMO and Transgrid have both warned this growth risks system security and higher costs for consumers. In July 2024, 60 data centres in Virginia, USA, disconnected simultaneously during a single fault, pulling 1,500 megawatts offline and triggering cascading instability, an incident referenced by the Australian Energy Market Commission itself when proposing new technical standards for large data centre connections in 2026. AirTrunk's Mamre Road proposal alone includes 846 diesel back-up generators and more than 18,000 kilolitres of diesel storage, illustrating the scale of fossil-fuel backup such facilities require.

3. Discharge into an already critically degraded waterway and bay

The Cooks River is widely documented by the NSW EPA and academic researchers as Australia's most polluted urban river, officially classified as "severely modified," and named among the state's most microplastic-contaminated waterways in the EPA's most recent broadscale assessment. It discharges directly into Botany Bay, which carries its own well-documented contamination burden. In the NSW Government's 2025 State of the Beaches report, Foreshores Beach in Botany Bay was the only Sydney swimming site to score a "Very Poor" rating, even as water quality improved across the rest of the state. The Botany Sands Aquifer beneath the nearby suburb of Botany has been contaminated since the 1940s by the former Orica (ICI) chemical plant, described in an academic case study as the worst groundwater contamination incident in the Southern Hemisphere; the NSW EPA confirms a permanent Groundwater Extraction Exclusion Area remains in place and contaminated groundwater still requires ongoing treatment to prevent it entering the bay. Around 80 per cent of the water a data centre withdraws for cooling evaporates, with the remainder discharged as wastewater and therefore directing further stormwater runoff and cooling tower discharge into this catchment. This adds further pressure to a system already at capacity.

4. Noise and air quality impacts on adjacent residents

International experience shows data centres near housing generate constant, tonal, 24-hour noise from cooling plant, transformers and generators, with residents in the USA reporting sleep disturbance and elevated blood pressure. This is not only an overseas problem. Reviewing AirTrunk's comparable Mamre Road proposal in April 2026, the NSW EPA itself stated the environmental impact statement "does not provide the information required" to assess air quality, noise, greenhouse gas and waste storage impacts, given its proximity to "sensitive receivers including schools, aged care facilities and existing residences." Penrith City Council formally objected to that proposal as "not suitable for a development of this scale." Separately, community reporting in Lane Cove indicates an operating hyperscale facility there is not required to hold an EPA Environment Protection Licence, and that noise & fuel-storage conditions attached to its original consent have not been actively enforced. No detail has been provided in this Concept Proposal on residential setbacks, acoustic enclosure or generator specifications.

5. Modest job creation relative to resource demand

Job creation claims for data centres should be tested against disclosed figures rather than assumed. Goodman's 90 megawatt Lane Cove West proposal is expected to create around 200 temporary construction jobs but only 26 permanent operational jobs, against 510 million litres of drinking water used annually. AirTrunk's larger 1.2 gigawatt Mamre Road proposal claims around 500 construction and 500 operational jobs for a facility costing over 5 billion dollars. Independent industry analysis confirms data centres are highly automated once operating and consistently generate few ongoing local jobs relative to their capital cost, land footprint, and resource consumption.

6. Flood risk and legacy contamination

Arncliffe sits within Bayside Council's Bonnie Doon catchment, which drains to the Cooks River and recorded flooding on Arncliffe Street as recently as February 2022. Bayside-wide flood mapping estimates almost 23 per cent of the LGA's population, more than 41,000 people, are already at flood risk. Separately, the application itself confirms "remediation works" are required as part of Stage 1 earthworks. Former golf courses are well documented internationally as sources of legacy soil and groundwater contamination, particularly arsenic from decades of herbicide, fungicide and fertiliser use around greens and maintenance areas. The extent of this contamination, and how it will be managed beside a waterway and existing housing, is not disclosed.

Conclusion

For these reasons, namely unassessed and locally-verified high water consumption, substantial electricity demand at a time when NSW's own market operator is warning of grid strain, direct discharge risk to a river and bay both independently confirmed as heavily contaminated, noise and air quality risks that NSW's own EPA has found comparable proposals fail to adequately address, modest job creation relative to resource footprint, and unresolved flood and contamination risk, I request that consent for SSD-84467726 be refused, or at minimum that the data centre use be excluded pending full, site-specific disclosure of its water (for cooling, treatment measures, and discharge), energy and employment impacts.

I want to register my objection to this massive and totally inappropriate proposal. In an area that is largely residential to the west and is undergoing further residential development in the areas of along the Innesdale road and Marsh street through to the Princess Highway it is perplexing as to why this site has been chosen to build a huge industrial complex. This area should be maintained as parkland or limited non-industrial uses. Surely there are other areas most suitable. To sacrifice necessary green space is a travesty of urban planning.

To whom it may concern,

I am writing regarding the proposed redevelopment of Kogarah Golf Course.
As someone who values the Cooks River, I recognise this is a significant opportunity for Sydney. I am not opposed to redevelopment of the site. However, I believe a project of this scale should leave the Cooks River healthier than it found it.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to demonstrate that economic development and environmental restoration can go hand in hand.
I encourage the Department to strengthen the proposal by including the following:
1. A meaningful contribution towards restoring the Cooks River
At approximately $2.9 billion, this is one of the largest developments proposed on the Cooks River.
Many major developments contribute towards local community infrastructure. A development of this scale should include a dedicated contribution towards restoring and enhancing the health of the Cooks River.
I encourage the establishment of a Cooks River Legacy Fund, supported through a meaningful developer contribution, to invest in long-term improvements to the river.
Such a fund could support initiatives including:
● Establishing a Cooks River Keeper or similar stewardship organisation to coordinate restoration and long-term management.
● Regular intensive river clean-up and maintenance programs.
● Removing ageing sheet piling with naturalised riverbanks.
● Restoration of saltmarsh, mangroves and other important habitats.
● Water quality improvement projects and stormwater treatment.
● Improved walking, cycling and paddling access.
● Community education and environmental monitoring.
This development should leave a positive environmental legacy for future generations.
2. A minimum 40 metre riparian corridor
A continuous minimum 40 metre riparian corridor should be provided along the full river frontage.
This would improve biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, provide greater flood protection, improve water quality and create a far more attractive public waterfront.
3. Proper naturalisation of the river edge
The river should not be treated as the back boundary of an industrial development.
The development should include a commitment to naturalise the riverbank, replacing hard engineered edges with vegetation and habitat wherever feasible, while improving public access and ecological health.
4. Deliver public benefits first
Cycleways, walking paths, open space and public access to the river should be delivered early in the project rather than being deferred until the final stages.
Communities should begin benefiting from the development from the outset.
5. Better community and stakeholder engagement
I was surprised to learn that only 22 people participated in the stakeholder engagement sessions for a project of this scale.
The Cooks River catchment is home to hundreds of thousands of people and is used every day by walkers, cyclists, paddlers, birdwatchers, anglers and local families.
The next stages of planning should include more meaningful and ongoing engagement with the community, Traditional Owners, environmental organisations, recreational user groups, councils and local residents. Good engagement should continue throughout the detailed design and delivery of the project, not finish once the concept is approved.
6. Design excellence
Finally, I encourage the Department to ensure the development reflects the importance of its riverfront location through:
● High-quality architecture and urban design.
● Increased tree canopy.
● Buildings that address and celebrate the river rather than turning their backs on it.
● Active public spaces along the waterfront.
● Safe and attractive walking and cycling connections.
● Opportunities for people to access and enjoy the river.
Conclusion
Major developments should leave the places they touch better than they found them.
This proposal has the potential to become a benchmark for river-sensitive urban development in Sydney. I encourage the Department to strengthen the proposal so that it delivers lasting environmental, recreational and community benefits alongside economic development.

Thank you for considering my submission.

To whom it may concern,
I am writing regarding the proposed redevelopment of Kogarah Golf Course.
As someone who values the Cooks River, I recognise this is a significant opportunity for Sydney. I am not opposed to redevelopment of the site. However, I believe a project of this scale should leave the Cooks River healthier than it found it.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to demonstrate that economic development and environmental restoration can go hand in hand.
I encourage the Department to strengthen the proposal by including the following:
1. A meaningful contribution towards restoring the Cooks River
At approximately $2.9 billion, this is one of the largest developments proposed on the Cooks River.
Many major developments contribute towards local community infrastructure. A development of this scale should include a dedicated contribution towards restoring and enhancing the health of the Cooks River.
I encourage the establishment of a Cooks River Legacy Fund, supported through a meaningful developer contribution, to invest in long-term improvements to the river.
Such a fund could support initiatives including:
● Establishing a Cooks River Keeper or similar stewardship organisation to coordinate restoration and long-term management.
● Regular intensive river clean-up and maintenance programs.
● Removing ageing sheet piling with naturalised riverbanks.
● Restoration of saltmarsh, mangroves and other important habitats.
● Water quality improvement projects and stormwater treatment.
● Improved walking, cycling and paddling access.
● Community education and environmental monitoring.
This development should leave a positive environmental legacy for future generations.
2. A minimum 40 metre riparian corridor
A continuous minimum 40 metre riparian corridor should be provided along the full river frontage.
This would improve biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, provide greater flood protection, improve water quality and create a far more attractive public waterfront.
3. Proper naturalisation of the river edge
The river should not be treated as the back boundary of an industrial development.
The development should include a commitment to naturalise the riverbank, replacing hard engineered edges with vegetation and habitat wherever feasible, while improving public access and ecological health.
4. Deliver public benefits first
Cycleways, walking paths, open space and public access to the river should be delivered early in the project rather than being deferred until the final stages.
Communities should begin benefiting from the development from the outset.
5. Better community and stakeholder engagement
I was surprised to learn that only 22 people participated in the stakeholder engagement sessions for a project of this scale.
The Cooks River catchment is home to hundreds of thousands of people and is used every day by walkers, cyclists, paddlers, birdwatchers, anglers and local families.
The next stages of planning should include more meaningful and ongoing engagement with the community, Traditional Owners, environmental organisations, recreational user groups, councils and local residents. Good engagement should continue throughout the detailed design and delivery of the project, not finish once the concept is approved.
6. Design excellence
Finally, I encourage the Department to ensure the development reflects the importance of its riverfront location through:
● High-quality architecture and urban design.
● Increased tree canopy.
● Buildings that address and celebrate the river rather than turning their backs on it.
● Active public spaces along the waterfront.
● Safe and attractive walking and cycling connections.
● Opportunities for people to access and enjoy the river.
Conclusion
Major developments should leave the places they touch better than they found them.
This proposal has the potential to become a benchmark for river-sensitive urban development in Sydney. I encourage the Department to strengthen the proposal so that it delivers lasting environmental, recreational and community benefits alongside economic development.
Thank you for considering my submission.

Member for Rockdale, Steve Kamper MP
NSW Environment Minister, Penny Sharpe MLC
NSW Planning Minister, Paul Scully MP
Premier Chris Minns MP

Re: Proposed Cooks River development

I am writing to urge the NSW Government to reconsider the proposed development on the Cooks River waterfront.
This stretch of river is one of the few remaining pieces of public waterfront in this part of Sydney, and it should be treated as a community asset, not a site for further industrial development. Bayside Council covers a growing population of young families, many of whom have very little accessible green or blue space near their homes. A logistics facility and data centre on this land would close off, permanently, the chance to give those families a riverfront park, playground and walking and cycling connections they could actually use.
As a resident of Arncliffe, I was genuinely pleased to hear about the new regular markets starting soon at Cahill Park in Wolli Creek, right next door to this site. It is exactly the kind of initiative this area needs, and it points to what is possible here. Wolli Creek and the surrounding suburbs have absorbed enormous high-density growth in recent years, with very little of the green and community infrastructure to match. This riverfront land is a rare chance to give those residents genuine breathing room: a park, a place for markets and community events, safe places for children to play. That is the balance high-density living desperately needs, and this site is where it is needed most.
Instead, what is proposed is a large-scale industrial facility with little architectural merit and no public benefit. It would sit as a visual and physical barrier along the river, cutting the community off from the water rather than connecting them to it. Data centres and logistics facilities do not need to be on a riverfront, and they certainly do not need to be next to one of the most densely populated pockets of Sydney. They belong in locations where people don't need to be, not in the one place nearby residents most need to be able to go.
The Cooks River is already the most degraded river in New South Wales. That is an argument for restoration and public investment, not for further diminishing its potential. Bayside Council, alongside the Cooks River Alliance, Sydney Water and neighbouring councils, has spent years working to improve the health of this waterway and expand community access to it. Approving this proposal would directly undercut that work and send the message that riverfront land is only valuable once it has already been degraded.
I would also note that this site sits within a recognised flood-prone area. Placing more hard infrastructure here, rather than open space that can absorb and manage flood impacts, is short-sighted planning that ignores the realities of a changing climate.
Sydney does need logistics and data infrastructure, but it does not need it here, at the cost of one of the last opportunities to give this community genuine green and civic space. Good planning means putting the right infrastructure in the right place, and preserving irreplaceable public land while we still can.
I urge the NSW Government to reject this proposal and instead work with Bayside Council and the Cooks River Alliance on a plan that returns this site to public, family-friendly open space.
Yours sincerely,
Alice Gage

​I am writing to formally lodge my objection to the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for the Kogarah Golf Club Redevelopment (SSD-84467726). While the community understands the site's transition toward a logistics and trade precinct as outlined in earlier iterations in 2023, the inclusion of a high-capacity data centre facility within the current Concept Masterplan represents an inappropriate escalation of industrial intensity for this specific location.
​This site directly borders the Cooks River riparian corridor and sits immediately adjacent to the high-density residential catchments of Wolli Creek and Arncliffe. Introducing a 24/7 data centre operation to this sensitive interface raises distinct environmental and amenity concerns that must be addressed by the Department.

My specific grounds for objection include:
​1. Public Health and Amenity Impacts on Dense Residential Catchments
​Acoustic Pollution: Data centres require continuous, 24/7 operation of large-scale mechanical cooling systems, chillers, and HVAC infrastructure. This creates a persistent, low-frequency acoustic profile. Because the high-density apartment blocks of Wolli Creek directly overlook the site, this constant noise has the potential to cause chronic sleep disruption and negatively impact the mental health and well-being of nearby residents.

​Urban Heat Island Mitigation: Data centres reject massive amounts of ambient heat into the atmosphere to keep servers cool. Adding this continuous thermal load directly next to a dense residential area risks intensifying the local Urban Heat Island effect during peak summer periods.

​Diesel Backup Emissions: The inclusion of large-scale emergency diesel backup generators for grid redundancy introduces risks regarding localized particulate emissions and air quality drops during routine testing or grid emergencies.

​2. Ecological Disruption to the Cooks River
​Impact on Local Wildlife: The Cooks River foreshore is a critical ecological corridor for native birdlife and nocturnal fauna. The proposed concept includes building heights up to 70 metres. A structure of this scale, combined with the mandatory 24/7 high-security external flood lighting required for a data centre, introduces severe light pollution that disrupts the natural habitat and flight paths of local species.

​Stormwater and Riparian Management: Replacing the previous green space with vast, impervious concrete footprints increases the volume and velocity of stormwater runoff. Any industrial runoff entering the waterway directly threatens the ongoing, long-term environmental recovery of the Cooks River ecosystem.

​3. Departure from the 2023 Planning Scheme
The inclusion of a data centre introduces an extraordinary baseline energy and utility demand that was absent from earlier community consultations. The application lacks transparent, independent local modeling demonstrating how this intensive energy use aligns with local environmental objectives and the capacity of the local grid.

Conclusion and Requested Actions
​I request that the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure:
​Excise the Data Centre Land Use: Remove data centre facilities from the permitted alternative uses in the Concept Masterplan.

​Mandate Increased Buffer Zones: Enforce a wide, deep-soil, naturally vegetated riparian buffer along the Cooks River boundary to protect local wildlife and manage runoff.

​Enforce Lower Height Constraints: Reduce the permissible building heights facing the river and residential zones to protect the visual amenity of the foreshore.

​Thank you for considering this submission.

This morning I wrote to
Member for Rockdale
Steve Kamper ;

NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe MLC ;

NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully MP;

Premier Chris Minns;

Re: Proposed Cooks River development

I am writing to urge the NSW Government to reconsider the proposed development on the Cooks River waterfront.

The planning documents describe this site as being of "low importance". That assessment fundamentally undervalues one of the last remaining publicly accessible blue-green spaces in southern Sydney with genuine potential for ecological restoration.

It also flies in the face of the substantial work already being undertaken by the Cooks River Alliance, local councils and Sydney Water to restore the health of the Cooks River. Together, these organisations have recognised that the river is an asset worth investing in, not an industrial afterthought.

The Cooks River is the most polluted river in New South Wales, but that is precisely why it deserves greater protection and restoration. It provides vital habitat, walking and cycling connections, recreation, and open space for communities stretching from southern Sydney through the Inner West and beyond. Every opportunity to improve public access and river health should be embraced.

This site is also the gateway to Sydney, adjoining our international airport. Rather than creating an attractive and accessible riverfront that reflects a modern, liveable city, the current proposal would add another large-scale logistics facility and a data centre with limited visual appeal, reducing opportunities for public access and blocking the future potential for riverfront parkland.

Around the world, cities are recognising the value of restoring their rivers. Former industrial waterfronts are being transformed into thriving public spaces because governments understand that healthy waterways are essential infrastructure that improves community wellbeing, biodiversity and climate resilience. Sydney should be leading this movement, not repeating planning decisions that other cities are now working to reverse.

As the largest city in Australia, Sydney needs to be protecting and optimising the public access to irreplaceable public green space and riverfront land.

There are also long-term resilience considerations.

The proposed site is located within a flood-prone area and will face increasing flood risks as climate change intensifies. Decisions made today will shape Sydney for generations, and we should ensure they are based on long-term public benefit rather than short-term convenience.

The Cooks River should be recognised as a protected public asset. This proposal represents one of the last opportunities to restore this stretch of river for public enjoyment and environmental recovery.

I urge the NSW Government to reconsider this proposal and place greater value on the long-term environmental, social and recreational importance of the Cooks River.

Yours sincerely,
J Judd
Cooks River user

Regarding:
https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/kogarah-golf-club-redevelopment-concept-stage-1-works

I object to the proposed redevelopment due to the significant and ongoing risk of noise pollution, particularly from the inclusion of data centre or data‑centre‑like infrastructure. Data centres are widely recognised as continuous noise generators, with cooling systems, backup generators, and plant operating 24 hours a day. Internationally, governments and planning authorities are increasingly restricting or halting the construction of data centres in or near residential areas because of well‑documented impacts on sleep, health, and quality of life caused by low‑frequency and tonal noise.

To the General Manager,
Bayside Council / NSW Government

I am writing to formally object to the proposed data centre development at Cooks Cove, on the Kogarah Golf Club site near the Cooks River and Sydney International Airport. This location is already under significant environmental and infrastructural pressure, and the introduction of a large‑scale, resource‑intensive data centre would create substantial and unacceptable impacts for the surrounding communities.

The suburbs of Wolli Creek, Turrella, Arncliffe and Banksia have undergone rapid high‑density development over the past decade. Hundreds of new apartments, both existing and currently under construction, have placed considerable strain on local water and electricity infrastructure. Residents already experience issues related to grid load, supply capacity and service reliability. Bayside Council is well aware of these pressures, as they have required ongoing upgrades and careful management.

A giant data centre would intensify these stresses dramatically. Data centres consume enormous amounts of electricity and water for cooling, often requiring significant grid restructuring and increased reliance on non‑renewable energy sources. This means Wolli Creek and Arncliffe residents are highly likely to experience further infrastructure strain, reduced service resilience, and higher long‑term environmental costs. The cumulative impact of dense residential development combined with a high‑demand industrial facility is not compatible with sustainable planning for Bayside.

Water usage is a particularly serious concern. The Cooks River catchment has a long history of ecological degradation, and high‑volume water extraction for industrial cooling risks further depletion of local water resources. Any wastewater discharge or stormwater run-off from the facility would pose contamination risks to a river system that community groups, volunteers, and councils have worked tirelessly to rehabilitate.

The proposed site also sits within a valuable green corridor that supports local biodiversity and provides a buffer between dense residential areas and the airport precinct. Clearing land, even small-scale, for this proposed data centre would result in habitat loss, reduced vegetation cover and permanent undesirable changes to the landscape. The cumulative impact on birdlife, riparian ecosystems and the broader Cooks River environment should not be underestimated.

Operational disturbances would further degrade local amenity. Cooling towers and backup generators produce persistent noise, heat exhaust and air pollution. In an area already heavily affected by aircraft noise and emissions from Sydney Airport, adding another major industrial emitter would compound environmental stress for nearby communities, including Wolli Creek and Arncliffe, and the broader Bayside LGA.

The visual impact of a large, windowless industrial building in this location would also be significant. The Kogarah Golf Club site and surrounding open spaces form part of a rare green corridor in a densely built region. Replacing this with a high‑security data centre would diminish the character of the area and reduce public enjoyment of the Cooks River foreshore.

Finally, data centres generate substantial electronic waste due to rapid hardware turnover. Managing this e‑waste adds long‑term environmental burdens that councils must ultimately address.

Given the combined risks of energy strain, increased emissions, water depletion, habitat destruction, noise and air pollution, visual degradation, and long‑term waste generation, I urge Bayside Council to reject this proposal. The Cooks River corridor, already under pressure from dense development in Wolli Creek, Arncliffe, Turrella and Banksia is not an appropriate location for a resource‑intensive industrial facility of this nature. The environmental and community costs far outweigh any short‑term economic benefits.

A far more suitable location for a data centre would be the former Kurnell oil refinery site. This precinct is already established for heavy industrial use, has existing large‑scale utility infrastructure, and is geographically separated from dense residential communities. Unlike Cooks Cove, it does not sit beside a sensitive river system or rely on the already overstretched water and electricity networks serving Wolli Creek and nearby suburbs. If a data centre is really necessary, then relocating the proposal to Kurnell would significantly reduce environmental risk, infrastructure strain and community impact.

Thank you for considering this submission.

To whom it may concern,
I am writing regarding the proposed redevelopment of Kogarah Golf Course.
As someone who values the Cooks River, I recognise this is a significant opportunity for Sydney. I am not opposed to redevelopment of the site. However, I believe a project of this scale should leave the Cooks River healthier than it found it.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to demonstrate that economic development and environmental restoration can go hand in hand.
I encourage the Department to strengthen the proposal by including the following:
1. A meaningful contribution towards restoring the Cooks River
At approximately $2.9 billion, this is one of the largest developments proposed on the Cooks River.
Many major developments contribute towards local community infrastructure. A development of this scale should include a dedicated contribution towards restoring and enhancing the health of the Cooks River.
I encourage the establishment of a Cooks River Legacy Fund, supported through a meaningful developer contribution, to invest in long-term improvements to the river.
Such a fund could support initiatives including:
● Establishing a Cooks River Keeper or similar stewardship organisation to coordinate restoration and long-term management.
● Regular intensive river clean-up and maintenance programs.
● Removing ageing sheet piling with naturalised riverbanks.
● Restoration of saltmarsh, mangroves and other important habitats.
● Water quality improvement projects and stormwater treatment.
● Improved walking, cycling and paddling access.
● Community education and environmental monitoring.
This development should leave a positive environmental legacy for future generations.
2. A minimum 40 metre riparian corridor
A continuous minimum 40 metre riparian corridor should be provided along the full river frontage.
This would improve biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, provide greater flood protection, improve water quality and create a far more attractive public waterfront.
3. Proper naturalisation of the river edge
The river should not be treated as the back boundary of an industrial development.
The development should include a commitment to naturalise the riverbank, replacing hard engineered edges with vegetation and habitat wherever feasible, while improving public access and ecological health.
4. Deliver public benefits first
Cycleways, walking paths, open space and public access to the river should be delivered early in the project rather than being deferred until the final stages.
Communities should begin benefiting from the development from the outset.
5. Better community and stakeholder engagement
I was surprised to learn that only 22 people participated in the stakeholder engagement sessions for a project of this scale.
The Cooks River catchment is home to hundreds of thousands of people and is used every day by walkers, cyclists, paddlers, birdwatchers, anglers and local families.
The next stages of planning should include more meaningful and ongoing engagement with the community, Traditional Owners, environmental organisations, recreational user groups, councils and local residents. Good engagement should continue throughout the detailed design and delivery of the project, not finish once the concept is approved.
6. Design excellence
Finally, I encourage the Department to ensure the development reflects the importance of its riverfront location through:
● High-quality architecture and urban design.
● Increased tree canopy.
● Buildings that address and celebrate the river rather than turning their backs on it.
● Active public spaces along the waterfront.
● Safe and attractive walking and cycling connections.
● Opportunities for people to access and enjoy the river.
Conclusion
Major developments should leave the places they touch better than they found them.
This proposal has the potential to become a benchmark for river-sensitive urban development in Sydney. I encourage the Department to strengthen the proposal so that it delivers lasting environmental, recreational and community benefits alongside economic development.
Thank you for considering my submission.