Contentious boarding home plan heads back to drawing board after opposition from residents
A decision has been handed down on a contentious boarding home development in Lane Cove North after opposition from residents – with some describing the plan as a “slum”.
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A contentious plan to build a six storey boarding home on a residential street in Lane Cove has hit a roadblock from local planners but the site could still be turned into high-rise housing.
Dozens of submissions were lodged to Lane Cove Council after developers released a $4.2 million proposal to turn a single storey home at 47 Mindarie St into 26 units.
The development included basement parking for 13 cars, five levels of units accommodating up to people per room and a rooftop communal area to be shared by lodgers.
Developers Staldone Rosedale said the project would address surging population on the lower north shore and demand for affordable housing in the area.
But residents lodged multiple complaints over potential traffic congestion, noise and concerns the building would impact privacy on surrounding homes.
Stringybark Creek Residents Association president Guy Hallowes also objected to overdevelopment of the site, described the building as a “slum”.
“(We) appreciates the need for more affordable housing and increased housing choice in the Lane Cove area but but believe the building will not be an asset but be out of character in the locality and will offer overcrowded, slum‐like conditions,” he said.
“There is only one communal living room and one small communal outdoor space for what could (accommodate) up to 52 people.”
The Lane Cove Council Planning Panel at a meeting this week rejected the proposal on the grounds it was “not in harmony” with the local area.
Panel members, however, said developers could lodge a scaled down building with fewer units.
“A development with a lesser number of boarding rooms will … allow for increased landscaping to the perimeter and be more in harmony with the character of the local area,” the panel said.
Staldone Rosedale said the project was in line with State Government planning laws that aimed to increase Sydney’s stock of affordable housing.
“It is clear that residents of the Lane Cove LGA are experiencing housing stress – the proposal will contribute towards alleviating the … shortage by increasing the stock of affordable housing within the area,” the company said.
Staldone Rosedale said it had also made “multiple attempts” at amalgamating the site with surrounding residential properties to create a larger development site that could reduce the height of the project.
“The adjoining property owner has made it very clear that their sale price expectations far exceed reasonable market value,” plans stated.
The panel said its decision to reject the proposal was unanimous.