Castle Hill: Sisters of Mercy in plan for old Marymount Mercy Centre

A Catholic organisation has been criticised for its plans to remove more than 230 trees as part a proposal to transform an old church site and sell it off to a developer.

A Catholic organisation has been criticised for its plans to remove more than 230 trees as part of a proposal to sell off a site to a developer.

Sisters of Mercy in Parramatta lodged $4.9 million plans to build 60 residential lots at David Road in Castle Hill.

Marymount Mercy Centre, which has been owned by the Catholic group for more than 60 years, currently sits on the site which backs onto a locally heritage-listed forest.

A total of 234 trees are proposed to be removed as part of the plans which has prompted outrage from the community.

Katherine Burnett, whose home backs onto the site, said she was “really upset” about the environmental impacts of the proposal, particularly the loss of trees.

A protest sign which was taken down hours after it was put up at the Sisters of Mercy Castle Hill site. Picture: Supplied

“I am concerned about the extensive loss of native trees and the impact this will have on the native fauna that live on the site,” Ms Burnett said.

The mother-of-three said she and other residents estimate about 0.73 hectares of endangered Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest will be cut down.

“The land contains heritage items - endangered Sydney Turpentine Ironbarks, is home to an endangered Powerful Owl…the protected grey headed flying fox, a large sulfur crested cockatoo population and other native flora and fauna,” she said.

In a letter sent out to residents from the Sisters of Mercy, it stated that the DA was lodged to help “influence” what happens to the site once it is sold off.

Ms Burnett critiqued how removing more than 200 trees and subdividing a site would positively contribute to the local community.

“I am unsure how subdividing a site that has heritage items listed and the removal of approximately 236 trees into 60 project homes is ‘influencing’ what happens to the site in a positive way,” she said.

Sisters of Mercy Marymount Mercy Centre site

A Sisters of Mercy spokeswoman said the group was now forced to sell the site because nuns who were running the centre retired at the end of 2019.

“They were unable to find a suitable partner to continue the site and made the difficult decision to sell the site,” she told The Hornsby Advocate.

Based on the size, she said they were aware that the site would “most likely” attract a developer.

“They’ve put in a DA to the council and the application has two parts.

“The first is to sever the heritage forest and gift it to the local council (Hornsby Shire Council) with funding to maintain it.”

She said the group chose to lodge a DA to ensure a future build would be “more palatable” for the Sisters than allowing a developer to have free rein.

Asked why 60 residential homes were proposed, she said, “They could leave it blank and someone could put in 120 (homes) there.”

She added the removal of the 234 trees would make way for the subdivision.

Yet she stressed the forest would not be touched.

“The forest will be maintained and gifted to Hornsby Shire Council,” she said.

Forest at the site seen from David Road

According to the Sisters’ plans a majority of the trees earmarked for removal are next to the buildings on site.

“Most of the trees earmarked for removal are located in the western portion of the site adjacent the convent buildings, with existing trees to be retained within the central reserve and incorporated into the design of the subdivision layout wherever possible,” according to the statement of environmental effects.

Sisters of Mercy has lodged plans to transform an old site to 60 new residential homes in Castle Hill

Residents have also expressed their concerns over a proposed emergency access road through Tahlee Park which is next to the site.

Ruben Gonzalez, who also lives at Parkwood Close, said the proposed road would “cut the park in two” and “destroy a well loved local park.”

He said that the emergency evacuation driveway was “completely insensitive” to the existing park with the proposal appearing to be built directly through an existing playground.

The Sisters of Mercy spokeswoman did not respond to questions about the proposed driveway before deadline.

Public submissions close this Thursday.