Firstly, whether by design or just good luck, we have in the Blue Mountains a reasonable balance between development and the unique natural landscape. Views from most of the national park show very little of the urban development along the main ridge line of the mountains. However, the plans for this development on Narrow Neck Road indicate that it will stand out as an eye sore from most of the national park south of the main ridge line. It will detract from the views seen from such places as Ruined Castle, Mount Solitary, Narrow Neck, Kings Tableland, and even further south to the Wild Dog Mountains. The planned development might be accommodated closer to the main part of the town of Katoomba with much less impact upon views of the natural wonders of the national park, but it is much too close to the edge of the escarpment.
Secondly, the planned development suggests it is likely to attract purchasers of units for investment purposes, including air bnb rentals, when there is a desperate need for affordable residential housing and social housing in Katoomba.
Furthermore, it will concentrate a large amount of people in a small area on a narrow road with limited on street parking. Could I suggest visiting Cliff Drive near Narrow Neck Lookout on any Saturday or Sunday morning to see the amount of cars parked or trying to get a parking spot for visitors, walkers and joggers, or for users of a nearby convention centre, to see how ridiculous an approval of this development would be.

I write this submission, not as an opposition to housing but in opposition to the ill fitting solution that this proposal offers. This proposal is too large, too dense, and too poorly serviced by infrastructure for this location. The bushfire risk is real and has not been adequately addressed. The planning process has been rushed. And the impact on the character, environment, and community of Katoomba of the Great Blue Mountains World Heritage Area would be significant and irreversible. I respectfully request that this application be refused for a smaller scale development that aligns to local planning guidelines which consider the ecological significance of the site along with the limitations of the surrounding infrastructure.

As someone who grew up in the Blue Mountains I am opposed to this development because it will have profound and devastating impacts on this magnificent and precious World Heritage Area.

It will have catastrophic consequences to life when a bushfire happens.

It undermines local democracy and good planning.

It will destroy the neighbourhood character and amenity.

The development will put enormous pressure on existing infrastructure – schools, electricity, recreational facilities, water, sewerage.

The proposal will have unacceptable impacts on the Blue Mountains World Heritage.

Please reject the proposal.

I am writing to urge that the proposed development at 142-150 Narrow Neck Road, Katoomba be rejected.

I believe that development applications in the Blue Mountains Local Government Area should not be assessed using the Housing Delivery Authority pathway, and neither should they be declared a State Significant Development. They should be assessed by Blue Mountains City Council in line with its Local Environment Plan.

I think that a high-density development of 4-storeys is inappropriate in a special place like Katoomba. My family has a house in Wentworth Falls which we built in 1981and we love the Blue Mountains. We don’t want to see its unique character changed which is what will happen if the proposed development in Narrow Neck Road goes ahead, not just because of the development itself but also because this would act as a precedent for other similar developments in Katoomba and other parts of the Blue Mountains.

I am very concerned about the impact of the proposed development on the adjacent Blue Mountains Swamps, which are a threatened ecological community. Any damage to the Swamps will have a follow-on harmful effect on Katoomba Falls catchment, the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and Sydney’s drinking water catchment.

The proposed development will also increase the risk to life from bushfire and put more pressure on traffic and on sewerage, electricity and other infrastructure.

Australia is facing a housing crisis but the proposed development will do nothing to ease this crisis. The units will not be suitable for first-home buyers as they are not close to jobs or to public transport, and they are likely to be expensive.

I think it’s vital that the Consent Authority visits the development site in order to gain a proper understanding of the harm this development will cause not just to the surrounding area but also to Katoomba and the Blue Mountains more broadly.

To reiterate, I believe that the proposed development at 142-150 Narrow Neck Road, Katoomba must be rejected.

Thank you for the opportunity to make this submission.

Please find FOKE's objections in the attached document

This project is horrendous. It doesn’t take into account the geographical situation, fragility of the area, exit route in case of fire.
this is the Heritage listed Blue Mountains, not a suburb of Sydney. No respect is shown to the area. We must’n allow our mountains to be brutalised by ridiculous projects not in keeping with the “culture” of the Blue Mountains.