I am writing to express my opposition to the development of 9 x 4 storey building being constructed on the 1.6 hectares site at 142-250 Narrow Neck Road, Katoomba.
The reasons why I am against this go beyond simply not wanting it. This development will significantly increase the risk of evacuation issues during a bushfire and will degrade and damage the natural environment. Narrow Neck can only remain a two‑way road, and this development will increase traffic congestion and put additional pressure on local infrastructure, which is already in poor condition in Katoomba.
This proposal is also dangerous because those who benefit the most are developers who, for a few dollars, would set a precedent for overriding local planning controls and the importance of community character. Allowing this development to continue will put a price tag on community character and send the message that bushfire risk does not matter as long as someone makes a profit somewhere.
It goes without saying that the loss of wildlife habitat will be immeasurable. I call on the authorities to reflect on this carefully and to stop this development from proceeding. The character and nature of the Blue Mountains must be respected.
Thank you very much

This proposal is completely unacceptable within a Heritage area, and national park.

The location is not suitable for the proposed development for numerous reasons.
The location does not have a regular public transport that would allow residents to access town centre and Katoomba Station.
The location is on a western facing ridge that would be very high risk in the event of a bush fire.
Access road is narrow and would not be suitable for the additional traffic volume.

We need homes. Homes for people to live in not made-for-Airbnb foreign investor bait. Resubmit a proposal for 15.6m high housing commission flats and I’ll back you all the way in. There’s federal cash for it, cut sick.

The requirements for said funding would also fix all the other problems with it. It’d actually have to follow design guidelines and remedy the awful ventilation and bad natural light (completely gives away that this is designed for Airbnb as people who actually want to live in an apartment care about those things where weekend visitors do not). It’d have to follow bushfire and wastewater design rules too.

This whole project is just shortcuts and weasel tactics to sneak a shonky cash grab past blue mountains residents. Not notifying the council as a key stakeholder areas surrounding the proposed development is a low dog act.

Let me be perfectly clear. I would love there to be apartments built here. Apartments I can afford. Apartments physios at the hospital can afford. Apartments the fireys can afford. This project is not that. The fact the proposal includes below the *minimum* 15% required amount of “””affordable””” dwellings for the height bonus is just further evidence that affordability isn’t a true consideration made.

We deserve better than having the state government roll out a red carpet and bend all the rules to put this project up that doesn’t benefit local taxpayers. We don’t want to have to put up with what will end up as an empty during the week wannabe hotel towering over us while we have to punch on with a nurse at a rental inspection trying to secure one of the few places to live up here.

I object to this project because:
1. Environmental Damage - Paving over pervious surfaces, increasing stormwater runoff and disrupts ecosystems, undermining the ecological values that underpin our World Heritage listing.
2. High Fire Risk - High-density, multi-storey housing in an already high-risk bushfire zone increases evacuation challenges and puts lives at risk.
3. Loss of Character - Dense, multi-storey blocks would irreversibly change the leafy character streetscapes and heritage character that make the Blue Mountains unique.

I am a long-term resident of Katoomba and the Blue Mountains and object to this development proposal for many important reasons.
The proposal lacks meaningful consultation. While an Aboriginal heritage impact statement was prepared, there is no evidence of direct engagement with Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council or Gundungurra representatives. Community feedback appears selective, noting local opposition but omitting that of Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) and the Blue Mountains Conservation Society. Broader community consultation is limited, despite the site’s proximity to an area of significant public use and future role as part of the BMCC Planetary Health Institute.
This development is oversized and incompatible with the character of Katoomba, introducing buildings of an unprecedented scale into a quiet residential area. More critically, the site itself is unsuitable. The Blue Mountains’ volatile hydrology poses significant risks to water quality in Sydney’s drinking catchment, and past nearby construction has already demonstrated environmental damage from runoff. These risks would be amplified by the scale of excavation required.
Geologically, the area’s unstable sandstone increases the likelihood of land movement and collapse, as seen in recent road failures and local seismic activity. Large-scale excavation would likely exacerbate these hazards.
The location is poorly serviced and fails basic principles of accessibility. It is 3 km from essential services, schools, and transport, with limited bus access, making residents heavily car dependent. Narrow Neck Rd’s constraints are in its name, it is narrow! It is also winding, and is a single-access area, which raises serious safety concerns, particularly during bushfire evacuations.
Bushfire risk is significant in this area and the recent rezoning of this area to a lesser grade of risk is questionable. Fires along Narrow Neck Rd occur regularly, most recently in 2019 when properties and access were impacted along Narrow Neck Rd and Cliff Drive. Adding another 215 households who must evacuate by car to this bottleneck will impact the safety of residents and the capacity of fire services to protect properties and life.
Claims of “affordable housing” are unclear and unlikely to meet local needs, given low median incomes and already high housing stress. The site is also distant from major employment hubs, undermining the social benefits typically associated with affordable housing.
Overall, the proposal is highly unsuitable for this location, poses environmental and safety risks, and offers limited benefit to the Katoomba community. It should be rejected.

I oppose the construction of residential flat building at 142-150 Narrow Neck Road in Katoomba. I don't think a development there will be beneficial for the upper Blue Mountains Area.

I object to the proposal. The assessment of the proposal is inadequate and does a poor job of assessing impacts, in particular impacts to the Blue Mountains National Park & World Heritage Area which is around 200m away. The proposal is inappropriate for the location and should be refused. See attached submission.

I've lived in the Blue Mountains since 1978, in Katoomba since 1988. One of the things I love about living here is the lack of the kind of high-density housing proposed in this application. Narrow Neck is at an edge of the escarpment. Aside from the affront to the natural environment and the lack of sympathy with much of the built environment, this proposal could prove to be very dangerous in times of bushfires. I've been to Narrow Neck Road when there have been fires, most recently in late 2019, and seen the damage to houses across the street from the valley.
People visit and move to the Mountains to get away from just this kind of thing!