Plans revealed to build new primary, high school at Northern Sydney TAFE site

Plans to transform a major Sydney TAFE campus into a new primary and high school has been revealed, in a bid to keep up with a population surge which has left existing schools bursting at the seams.

The TAFE campus is being considered by the State Government as a new site for a primary and high school.

A TAFE campus on the lower north shore could be transformed into a new primary and high school to keep up with the region’s rapid population growth.

The Northern Sydney TAFE institute at Gore Hill has been touted as a location for a new public kindergarten to Year 12 campus as part of planning works by School Infrastructure NSW for a new school in the area.

The project has been in the planning stages since 2019 and received initial NSW Government funding in the 2021/22 state budget.

Willoughby state Liberal MP Tim James has confirmed the previous state government had short-listed the TAFE campus as a potential site for the new public school.

It is understood planning works have considered co-locating the school alongside the existing TAFE campus which would continue to operate at the site.

A photo of the TAFE campus.

Mr James is now pushing for the new Labor government to progress planning works for the school, saying it was “essential” to keep up with the high-rise residential boom in the region.

“There’s been huge population growth in the area – particularly in St Leonards and Crows Nest – and the families who have moved into the area need access to a public school,” he said. “I’ll be meeting with the new Education Minister to ensure planning works are progressing because it’s vital we get confirmation it is proceeding.”

Willoughby State MP Tim James.

It is understood School Infrastructure has scoped several other sites to locate the new campus, including land within the Royal North Shore Hospital Campus.

There are also separate plans to build a 750-pupil primary school in the hospital precinct at a site near the Ministry of Health headquarters.

The proposed construction of education facilities at the hospital campus has previously sparked opposition from health workers and community groups due to concerns the development would restrict future health-related facilities being built at the precinct.

Mr James said the TAFE campus was his preferred location.

A photo of the high-rise growth in St Leonards that has seen the population of the area surge.

“My view is that Royal North Shore should be retained for health purposes to cater for the future needs of the community and the TAFE campus therefore makes sense,” he said.

“It’s much bigger than it appears and there is space where a school could be located.

“A site plan for the new high school hadn’t been finalised (before the election) but it could be that the high school is co-located within the TAFE precinct.

“It might also involve rebuilding the campus.”

The TAFE campus is located on the Pacific Hwy.

A Department of Education confirmed “planning is continuing for the education precinct at St Leonards” but did not confirm which locations were being considered.

“At this stage of the project, consideration and studies of demographic trends, education requirements, and catchment boundaries are undertaken,” she said.

If built, the new school would be the main public campus serving surrounding suburbs including St Leonards, Crows Nest, Greenwich, and Lane Cove.

Currently, the closest high schools to the precinct are in Chatswood and North Sydney.

The population growth in the area has been fuelled by the St Leonards-Crows Nest 2036 Plan which supports an extra 6683 new units to be built in the two suburbs over the coming decade.