I object to the 30% increase in student numbers at Trinity Grammar as I have a concern regarding the adverse amenity impact for the local residents. We currently suffer from significant traffic disruption on our street in the mornings and afternoons and experience significant delays in travelling in and out of our street at peak times. We have older students parking (out of uniform) on our street regularly which takes up our parking spots. It's dangerous for my kids to walk or cycle to school as there is no pedestrian crossing from Service Avenue. Cars drive too fast around our street - there is already too many cars.. we cannot sustain a 30% increase in traffic
Whenever there is a school event, parking and traffic is congested for numerous streets in our vicinity.. A delivery dock on Seaview Street would significantly increase traffic.

I object to the removal of any trees to support this development, 26 trees and trees on Seaview Street should be preserved and protected and the students in the school taught the value of these trees to their future.

As you will see from my address we live one street away from Trinity grammar. The traffic over the last few years since we moved here has increased substantially. Receiving this development notice to make the school larger is infuriating. I have previously complained to the school about how they manage their car flow in the mornings and afternoons. their carpark exit insists that all cars and buses turn left into VIctoria street and then into Harland street. We live on one of the corners, at times it is impossible to drive out of our driveway due to the sheer traffic. we get loads of cars but also bus loads of children. the school also backs onto Canterbury road, an already main road, i would suggest thinking about using that as an exit to keep our once suburban streets quieter. It would be very disappointing to see the school increase in numbers again. Our streets could become worse than parramatta road in peak hour!

I live directly opposite Trinity Grammar in XXXXXXX, Ashfield in the Holwood Avenue Conservation Area. That is, a heritage conservation area. There are a considerable number of houses opposite the school which are individually heritage listed and many of the streets surrounding the school are also heritage listed . It is one of the most beautiful precincts in the inner west and the integrity of the area should be preserved. When we purchased our home eight years ago, we have made a point of choosing one in a quiet, green, garden suburb and we were drawn to the heritage aspect as we felt it would ensure that the area would remain free from developments which would negatively impact the area.
In particular, the proposal to build up to five stories in height is deplorable. It is completely out of keeping with the charming and quiet, private nature of the neighbourhood. And it is completely unacceptable that they build something that high simply to accommodate more students. Students they don't currently have. The only reason they have to increase enrollments is to make more money from the exorbitant fees that they charge. And there is no justification for ruining a heritage area just so that the school and its executive can make more money.
In increasing the number of students, the traffic around the school will also be dramatically increased. As it is, it is almost impossible for me to get in and out of my driveway at school opening and closing time. This quiet residential area is simply not able to absorb these kind of numbers.
I have previously had NO inclination to leave the home I have established, and I really don't want to. But if this development does go ahead, I will. And since the development will, no doubt, affect the value of the homes in the area, since it will be a less desirable place to live, I won't even be in a position to buy in another nice, quiet area.
The school is trying to sugarcoat their application with a plan to redirect some of the traffic from the main driveway. Please note that this was what the local police and neighbours lobbied to have done when Trinity ran their last building project (about 10 years ago) and the school fought it and won. Now all of a sudden they are planning to fix the driveway, and the whole PR thing is an attempt to blindside the community.
This building project really will be a blight on the local area and Sydney's heritage.
The government has a responsibility to preserve Sydney's heritage areas, including this one, for future generations and for the sake of the people who have invested (financially and socially-emotionally) in living here.
Please do not allow this to go ahead.
XXXXXXXXXX

Some further photos of traffic congestion around the school at pick up time including buses, cars, the driveway into and out of the school and local residents and children trying to negotiate the traffic.

Please find attached EES comments

RE: EXHIBITION OF STATE SIGNIFICANCE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION
TRINITY GRAMMAR SCHOOL REDEVELOPMENT
APPLICATION NO: SSD-10371
LOCATION: 113-119 PROSPECT ROAD, SUMMER HILL (LOT 11DP 1171965)
COUNCIL AREA : INNER WEST
OBJECTION TO PROPOSED PLANNING
I am writing to express my deep concern, as a resident of Ashfield, regarding the latest notification of planning outlined above. This was received by me on Wednesday 6th May 2020 and outlines the latest development proposal.

I have lived in Holwood Avenue since August 2001. Throughout this time I have had to continually endure ongoing works not only carried out by Trinity Grammar, but also Cardinal Freeman Aged Care facility, the Sydney Eye Hospital and various other works undertaken by both private and commercial concerns. While I understand schools need to look at development needs from time to time there is no evidence that this current proposal has merit and therefore considering the impact on the residential neighbourhood, I feel it absolutely necessary to raise my objections to this latest venture. There has been continual disruption to the enjoyment of my property with noise, dust and road work closures since moving into the area and this has impacted me for the last 19 years.

Despite Trinity Grammar only recently completing major capital works within the past couple of years they are now proposing further expansion and increasing pupil enrolment from 1,655 to 2,100 (27% increase in capacity). Given that the latest proposal involves substantial capital works the construction period and the consequential disruption period will most likely take another 18-24 months, and I note than an estimate of this period has not been included in the current publicly available documents.

Enough is really enough!!

Further, one of the proposals is a new 5 storey classroom and school facility building impacting on neighbouring residents who currently enjoy their views. Let us not forget that when Seaview Street was given it’s name as there were views of the ocean from this area which some residents still enjoy. This view will be removed for a number of residents if this proposal is approved. I raise this point because of the cultural and historical significance. Not to mention the devaluing of these properties and subsequent residential properties upon completion.

I have always admired and supported Ashfield Council’s position on preserving the historical integrity of the area. Indeed a substantial area around the school is a conservation area with heritage listed homes.

The development application proposes to demolish two School acquired residences positioned outside the perimeter of the school which are approaching 100 years old. Surely these residences have a historical significance and therefore deemed preserving for future generations.

Moreover these particular ‘historical’ residences currently provide a border along Seaview which shields the residents outside that border from noise. Trinity Grammar’s proposal has not exhibited any concerns for the look of and integrity of the area and these new school buildings will take the form of an ugly 21st century construction with no respect for the area’s historical culture.

In addition it is proposed that a number of trees, which, as yet have not been identified in the proposal supplied, will be removed. I suspect the said trees have been insitu for generations.

For residential properties in the area surrounding Trinity Grammar, development proposals have been constrained in the past, in that the height cannot exceed the current property height. Many friends and neighbours in the area who have proposed works to their properties have been advised by Ashfield Council that all alterations need to be in line with the historical culture of the area and have had to subsequently build ‘down, rather than up. Why can’t the same rules and restrictions apply to Trinity Grammar?


I would therefore ask , as a long standing resident, denial of this Development Application by Trinity Grammar and request that if the works are to proceed they are reconsidered to incorporate the above points raised.

Yours sincerely,



Michael Thomas
11 Holwood Avenue, Ashfield NSW 2131

The traffic congestion related to increasing the number of students and therefore pickups and drop offs would be unacceptable in the neighbouring streets not to mention dangerous for children and residents.
No building in this area are currently above 4 stories and it is a quiet a residential zone apart from 8-9 am
and 230-400 pm weekdays and all day Saturday when school traffic, buses and parking makes travel very difficult.
Driving children to school should be discouraged for health and safety and environmental reasons.
Please see the attached photos of Victoria St on a school morning during the peak hour mentioned above.
Increasing the student numbers by 545 will only inconvenience local residents further and contribute to the gridlock and dangerous conditions on the road adjacent to the school at busy times.