Hunters Hill Lyndhurst Crescent: mansion expansion heads to Land and Environment Court

A plan to create a private terrace on the roof of a lavish harbourside mansion is due to be settled in court after unauthorised building works were allegedly carried out on the home.

A legal challenge is looming over development plans for a harbourside mansion in Hunters Hill following a string of unauthorised works were allegedly carried out on the luxury home.

The addition of a private terrace on the roof of the 28 Lyndhurst Crescent home overlooking Lukes Bay is due to be settled in the Land and Environment Court after the development plan was refused by Hunters Hill Council earlier this year.

Details of the project lodged on behalf of owners Zhang Fu Qiu and Xiao Hui Liu show the proposal includes converting the roof of the three storey home into an outdoor terrace that boasting views across Sydney Harbour.

The home overlooks the Parramatta River.

It also involves gaining consent for alleged unauthorised building works on the roof including the addition of timber decking and a glass balustrade.

Development plans stated the alleged works had been carried out to stop “constant flood damage” to the home with prior approval from Hunters Hill Council.

In response, the council served the owners a letter outlining its intention to issue a development control order to demolish the work.

A photo of the current roof.

An issue of contention between the council and the owners is whether previous development plans for the roof back in 2018 allowed the use of an outdoor terrace on the property.

The current proposal stated the roof was “suitable” for a terrace and the project would not impact the heritage value of the area or alter viewers from neighbouring homes.

The council said the 2018 application did not include consent for the terrace. The development is also located within the Hunters Hill Peninsula Conservation Area.

Plans to the council said the roof was “suitable for its proposed use” as open space.

The case is due to be settled in the Land and Environment Court.

“The application is considered to be of appropriate bulk and scale within the context of the adjoining properties,” the plan stated.

“The condition seeks to require a change in the nature of the rooftop access but the structure nonetheless continues to provide some form of rooftop access – it is therefore considered (that) the proposal continues to be substantially the same development.”

Hunters Hill Council said the case is due to be heard in the Land and Environment Court on September 29 and 30.