Kensington K2K: Towers proposed for controversial stretch
A main intersection through Kensington will soon be surrounded by high-rise blocks under plans by a developer to build three student accommodation towers opposite one another.
Southern Courier
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UPDATED - ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 24, 2020
A main intersection through Kensington will soon be surrounded by high-rise blocks under plans by a developer to build three student accommodation towers opposite one another.
Earlier this month, the Department of Planning gave the final tick of approval for the controversial K2K rezoning strategy, allowing buildings up to 18 storeys to be built along the light rail corridor in Kensington and Kingsford town centres.
Student accommodation provider Scape Australia owns prime sites in both town centres.
Scape Australia has now lodged four development applications since June for 18-storey student accommodation towers to house UNSW students and “key workers”.
Three of the proposed towers are dotted around the same intersection of Anzac Parade and Todman Ave in Kensington which is also next to a light rail stop.
Randwick Council received the latest proposal last week for an 18-storey tower on the northeast side of the intersection which will feature 179 boarding rooms if approved.
The building will also include two public laneways and a public courtyard on the ground floor, as well as shops and commercial spaces.
“The site is well served by the new public transport light rail system, existing public transport network and suitably affords the opportunity to increase density,” the proposal reads.
A fourth 18-storey building can also be built on the remaining corner of the intersection under the new zoning restrictions.
Kensington Public School’s P & C has fought hard against the K2K rezoning strategy. P & C president Jock Marmotta said he was devastated the rezoning had been approved allowing for these type of high-rise development applications.
The school is a stone’s throw away from the latest proposed tower.
“This is a classic case of where greed and profit is more important than child safety. I have not met a single parent or resident that welcomes the proposed high rises.”
He said the main issue for the school P & C continued to be the risk to child safety with an increase in congestion and traffic, as many children walked, cycled or rode a scooter to school.
He said as a final act, the P & C had made a request to the Audit Office of NSW to look into the decision by Randwick Council and the State Government to allow the rezoning.
He said they had received a response stating an audit of the “assessment stage” of development applications would be carried out in either 2021/22 or 2022/23 but there was no audit planned for the K2K.
Scape’s high-rise proposals for Kensington each have one level of basement parking and state that residents will largely rely on public transport. Scape Australia has been contacted for comment.
A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said the light rail had been designed to support growth in areas such as southeast Sydney.
“The light rail network was designed to be sustainable and reliable with future growth in mind,” she said.
“The new light rail has been designed to have a capacity of up to 13,500 customers per hour between 7am-7pm (weekdays) in both directions, with services running every eight minutes in the South East and every four minutes in the CBD.”
Randwick Council endorsed the K2K rezoning strategy late last year before it was given final approval by the Department of Planning this month.
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