Wahroonga: new plans for six storey buildings on Adventist hospital, school site.

Buildings up to six storeys tall would transform a major north shore hospital, school and church site, raising fears students could be “hemmed in” by units. See what’s planned:

Church members and parents have raised alarm bells over plans to add more than 170 units on the grounds of a major hospital, school and church site on the upper north shore.

After more than 10 years in planning stages, a new proposal has been released to add four buildings up to six storeys tall on a patch of undeveloped land within the precinct of the Sydney Adventist Hospital, Wahroonga Adventist School and the Fox Valley Church.

The $56.5 million development would include 178 units, 325 carparks, 122 trees and a new road running through the 62.4ha site.

Plans have been lodged to Ku-ring-gai Council.

Plans have been developed by the Australasian Conference Association, the parent company of the school and hospital, which said the project would meet the “future needs” of the organisation and provide new housing in an area.

“The venture will support strategic capital developments in the precinct, delivering benefits to the general public through providing diverse housing, high-quality health care and values based affordable education,” the company said in a statement.

Resident Amanda von Kalm Barr, whose child attends the school, believes the site should instead be turned into a playing oval for students of the prep to Year 12 school.

Plans include 178 units and 325 carparks.

“The kids currently don’t have access to a full size oval and what’s being planned is totally inappropriate,” she said.

“There’s no train in the area, no public transport, the traffic congestion is going to be a major issue.

“There’ll be units behind a school directly overlooking it and the kids won’t be able to see a tree, they’ll be literally hemmed in by units.”

Russell Fehlberg, a 40-year member of the Fox Valley Community Adventist Church, said the plans have caused consternation for members of the church community.

The development would include four buildings.

“We’ve put in feedback and had meetings with the church but you wonder what the point is when they’re just going to go ahead and do it anyway,” he said.

“I’ve got grandchildren at the school and what’s being planned seems more about money than anything else.

“That area should be playing facilities, that school is getting bigger and bigger. The whole thing is in the wrong spot.”

The Australasian Conference Association said new plans had been revised in response to community feedback including removing a fifth building on land now acquired by the school.

It is also proposing a new playing space for Wahroonga Adventist School north east of the site.

A concept plan of the development.

Plans show three of the buildings next to the school would stand six storeys tall, with the forth on Fox Valley Rd would stand five storeys.

Upper-level apartments from one of the buildings have also been removed from earlier proposals to create more separation between the units and the school.

Steve Grant, founding chairman of Capital Corporation which is developing the project, said consultation has been undertaken with key stakeholders throughout the design process.

“We’ve taken a planned, methodical and staged approach to evolving the area to meet the future needs of the community,” Mr Grant said.

“We’ve made some major changes following the feedback we’ve received through consultation, and believe this plan is a great outcome.”

“Our team - which included church representatives – gave deep consideration to privacy, security and access to sunlight as well as keeping the two areas quite separate from each other.”

Plans have been lodged to Ku-ring-gai Council which is currently assessing the proposal.