I acknowledge the need for increased housing supply in Sydney. However, I object to the proposed development at 64–66 Lavender Street and 3–7 Middlemiss Street, Lavender Bay, in its current form.

My concerns are as follows:

1. Excessive height and scale
The proposed 32-storey and 23-storey towers are excessive for this location and are not compatible with the surrounding character of Lavender Bay, particularly given the site’s proximity to the Lavender Bay Conservation Area.

2. Overshadowing impacts
The proposed development would create significant additional overshadowing to the surrounding area, including public open spaces such as Clark Park, Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden and Bradfield Park. These public spaces are important community assets and should be protected from excessive overshadowing.

3. Traffic, parking and pedestrian safety
The surrounding streets, including Lavender Street, Middlemiss Street and Alfred Street, already experience traffic and parking pressure. I am concerned that the proposed development would worsen congestion, reduce street parking availability, and create additional safety risks for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.

4. Loss of amenity for nearby residents
The height, bulk and density of the proposal would negatively affect the amenity of nearby residents through loss of solar access, privacy, views, and increased noise and wind impacts.

5. Affordable and low-cost housing concern
The demolition of existing low-cost housing on the site is a serious concern, particularly where the proposed affordable housing replacement appears to be limited.

For these reasons, I object to the proposal in its current form. I request that the Department require a substantially reduced height, bulk and density, improved traffic and parking assessment, better protection of public open space, and a more appropriate housing outcome for the site.

As a concerned resident, I strongly object to the proposed development on the basis that the scale and number of apartments is totally unrealistic and unreasonable for this site and suburb.
• Height and density are completely incompatible with the heritage character of the low scale foreshore of Lavender Bay. The applicant’s comparison to Milsons Point and North Sydney is totally wrong as a building should be judged against what it joins (low lying property along Lavender Street).
• The two proposed towers placed directly opposite established apartments at far less than the recommended separation would cause direct overlooking and invasion of living areas. The scale will negatively impact the solar access, privacy and general amenity (including increased noise, wind tunnels and loss of views) for nearby residents to unacceptable levels.
• A significant portion of Lavender Bay will experience widespread overshadowing. On the applicant’s own evidence this proposal casts new shadow over Bradfield and Clark parks, as well as the established apartments opposite. The applicant also admits the extra shadow is the result of the oversized development.
• It will exacerbate the dangerous vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle traffic congestion currently experienced on Middlemiss, Lavender and Alfred Streets. The development will worsen the already inadequate street-based car parking for residents, visitors and contractors.
• The demolition of the existing low-cost housing (32 units) on the site far exceeds the developer’s affordable housing apartment allocation (seven affordable units). The proposed towers will completely overshadow the existing adjacent two social housing blocks, and the social housing residents will suffer an egregious loss of amenity
I understand the need for housing and suggest that any development must seriously consider the concerns I have raised in the points above. It is my view that the character of the Lavender Bay area is best served with a lower scale development that is more in keeping with the surrounds and has less impact on the quality of the community.

1. The two blocks are too large and will overshadow 54&56 Lavender St in a heritage precinct. They will also create a wind tunnel.
2. Rather lane is too narrow for lorry or car access.
3. The vibration from the lorries and the construction would be detrimental to the 120 year old houses in Lavender St and Arther St which are mostly built with soft mortar and with rubble foundations.
4. Traffic generated in Lavender St Middlemiss St and Alfred Street South would make driving parking and cycling both difficult and dangerous especially with the cyclists coming the Harbour Bridge ramp.
5. The decrease in Social Housing from 30 odd to just 7 flies in the face of the shortage in housing for the disadvantaged

Please see attached submission from Homes NSW.

Please see attached document.

Please see attached letter.

I am objecting the new development on this site. Please refer to the attached letter.

We are writing to object to the proposed development at Middlemiss Street and Lavender Street.

We are residents of McMahons Point and have lived in the area for approximately ten years. During that time, we have come to value the unique character of Lavender Bay and McMahons Point, particularly the sense of community, the human scale of the neighbourhood, the harbour foreshore parklands and the ability to raise a family in a beautiful and highly walkable part of Sydney.

We support the need for additional housing and understand that Sydney must continue to grow. However, we do not believe that the proposed development represents appropriate growth for this location.

Our principal concern is the scale of the proposal. Towers of 32 and 23 storeys are entirely out of character with the surrounding neighbourhood and would permanently alter the feel of an area that is defined by its low-rise heritage streets, open spaces and village atmosphere.

As parents of two young children, we are also concerned about the impact on local amenity and public spaces. Clark Park, Wendy Whiteley’s Garden and the surrounding foreshore areas are important community assets used daily by local families. These spaces contribute enormously to the quality of life enjoyed by residents and should be protected from developments that diminish their setting, openness and enjoyment.

Traffic is another significant concern. The local road network is already under considerable pressure, particularly around peak periods and weekends. A development of this scale will inevitably increase congestion and place further strain on streets that were never designed to accommodate such intensity of use.

We chose to make our home in this area because of its character, community spirit and connection to the harbour landscape. While change and growth are inevitable, they should occur in a manner that respects and enhances the qualities that make places like Lavender Bay and McMahons Point special.

For these reasons, we respectfully ask the Department to reject the proposal in its current form and instead encourage a more modest development that provides additional housing while preserving the character, amenity and public spaces that are so highly valued by the community.

I live in the building opposite the proposed development. In my opinion and many of our neighbours we are concerned with the height and density of the proposed towers.
1. The scale will negatively impact the solar access, privacy and the increase noise and wind tunnels.
2. The proposal will create additional cars and pedestrians on Lavendar Street which will be inadequate and dangerous. We are currently struggling as is with pedestrians and cyclist crossing the road when we access the new roundabout by car.
3. We have inadequate streetcar parking for residents and visitors as we lost many spots with the cycleway. Current situation with cycleway changes has made it difficult to stop safely and drop passengers and contractor's access.
Thank you for your consideration.

I attach my submission.

(Katharine) Clare Loewenthal