North Sydney school Shore plans 450-pupil student boost, sparking traffic battle with neighbours

An exclusive Sydney boys school’s plan to drive up its student headcount by more than 25 per cent has sparked a traffic battle with neighbours who fear pupils will clog streets with their “sports cars”.

Residents on the north shore are on the warpath over plans by top boys school Shore to increase its students headcount by more than 400 students with fears local roads will be clogged by students driving “sports cars”.

An additional 450 students would be able to be taught at the North Sydney college as part of a proposal by the school, which currently educates 1690 pupils.

The college in statement said the increase in students was “proposed across a number of years” and would cement its “dedication to providing exceptional educational opportunities to more families”.

But some plans have been met with a swift response from nearby residents, with some raising alarm bells over potential traffic congestion impacts on local streets.

Resident Peter Wilcox said roads surrounding the school resembled a “major catastrophic thoroughfare” during pick up and drop off hours and fears the situation could be exacerbated if the proposal was approved.

The school has released plans to boost its student headcount by more than 25 per cent.

“To see the chaos of parents driving their vehicles in what is essentially a single lane access is unbelievable,” he said.

“Another 450 students with the vast majority wanting to be dropped off and picked up by car would be intolerable for the local residents.’’

Submissions from other residents have claimed some students – some of which have only recently gained their driving licences – drive “recklessly fast” in “sporty cars” and pose potential safety risks to pedestrians.

Traffic impacts are among concerns raised by residents in response to the plans.

Resident Anna Howard said the increase in students could place pressure on off-street parking, spaces which she claimed “are often, most days, taken by students”.

“They not only arrive and depart before and after school hours but also come within school hours to move their cars out of one restricted spot to another spot so as not to be fined by the council rangers.

“Residents often can't get any parking within our street – the situation is almost intolerable.’’

The school’s plans are being considered by the Planning Department.

Of the 450-student increase, 378 students would be accommodated in the senior school and 72 in the prep school.

Based on the current minimum school tuition fees of $43,000 for senior school students and $29,860 for prep students, the increase in students suggests the school would net up to $18.4m.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for Shore said the plans had been designed to consider traffic, “parking, heritage, landscape, amenity and infrastructure impacts for the local community’’.

Plans by the school show new 41 interim carparking spaces would be built at the campus as part of the proposal.

Traffic modelling has predicted the pupil increase would generate an extra 134 car trips in morning and 61 in the afternoon.

The proposal to increase students is a modification to previously-approved concept plan for the college, which proposed the additional 450 students to be accommodated in three stages while some new buildings are constructed.

The proposal would instead see the increased pupil accommodation within the existing infrastructure as a single stage of delivery.

The plans have been lodged with the NSW Government and are under assessment.