Sydney east and south east: Most controversial developments

From massive housing developments to pub redevelopments and a 24-hour McDonalds – here are the developments causing outrage across Sydney’s east and southeast.

From suburb-shaping housing projects, to a redevelopment of one of Sydney’s most famous pubs, big plans are in the works for Sydney’s eastern and southern suburbs – but not everyone is happy with the projects.

The Southern Courier unpacks some of the region’s highest profile development projects in suburbs including Coogee, Botany and Kingsford.

We also discover why they are ruffling feathers among residents.

LITTLE BAY

A concept plan of what the project could have looked like.

Plans to reshape Little Bay with 1909 units in buildings up to 17 storeys tall were met with fierce opposition from residents and prompted 12,500 people to sign a petition calling for the project to be knocked back.

But Meriton – the developer behind the mega project – said it would provide much-needed new housing for the region and provide a range of services and amenities to support the community.

Opponents of the plan celebrated in June when the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel refused the development on grounds including the “bulk and scale” of the buildings proposed.

The panel, chaired by former transport Minister Carl Scully, said the proposal was not in proportion to the current level of accessibility and amenity of the surrounding area.

“As a result, the proposal would have unmitigated significant impacts on transport and amenity,” it found.

But the panel has left the door open for future, lower-scale development at the site, saying there was an opportunity for alternative distributions of development density on certain parts of the site.

Asked whether the company would considering any other development projects at the site, a Meriton spokesman said: “we are considering our options”.

INCINERATOR

A proposal by one of Sydney’s biggest waste disposal companies to burn their rubbish at a Matraville paper mill has hundreds of locals up in arms.

Suez has teamed up with Opal paper mill to build a high temperature waste incinerator that would burn 165,000 tonnes of waste a year to provide steam and electricity for the Botany Rd mill.

Plans are in the works for an incinerator at the Opal – formerly Orora – paper mill.

Plans stated the plant would provide an opportunity to secure the “long-term energy needs for the paper mill in a more sustainable way” while diverting waste from landfill.

But residents fighting the development have raised alarm bells with potential environmental impacts and have noted the large number of day care centres, schools, parks, shopping areas and homes in surrounding areas.

Early plans have been lodged to the Department of Planning ahead of an environmental-impact statement, expected to be released later this year.

A petition opposing the project has already topped 16,500 signatures while a GoFundMe campaign collected $5600 to bankroll the campaign.

MCDONALDS

Residents and burger lovers are divided over plans for an around-the-clock Maccas outlet in Botany.

The fast food chain has lodged a development application to build the 24/7 drive through restaurant at 1581 Botany Rd in Botany.

The $3.2 million proposal includes a kids play area, 26 carparking spaces and would set up to 52 patrons at a time.

A concept plan of the McDonalds outlet.

The project has been met with 271 written submissions to Bayside Council, with one resident writing they didn’t want the retailer opening up in the “quiet and peaceful suburb”.

Other residents said it could lead to extra traffic congestion, noise and “drive down local house prices”

There have been supporters, with one resident saying it would be a “great thing for the community” and could become “like a local destination which we need more of in Botany!”.

McDonalds said the project would have public, social and economic benefits with “minimal adverse impacts” and employ up to 12 staff at a time.

COOGEE BAY HOTEL

Multiple petitions have been launched after the Coogee Bay Hotel released a mega $111 million revamp plan for the iconic venue.

Plans lodged to Randwick Council include upgrades to the hotel, a six-storey shop-top development featuring 60 apartments, a new beer garden and a supermarket.

The application states the development would “transform the site by removing a number of under-utilised buildings” and “provide housing opportunities” and services for the local community.

A concept plan of the redevelopment.

However, a petition launched to “save Coogee from the atrocity” has already topped 3300 signatures with opponents arguing it could destroy the character of the coastal suburb.

Concerns have centred on traffic impacts, overshadowing and the loss of the Selina’s nightclub – a live music venue at the pub that hosted the likes of Elton John and Nirvana.

The development plans have been referred to the Sydney East Planning Panel and are currently under assessment.

KAMAY FERRY WHARF

Transport for NSW has revived plans to reinstate a ferry service in Botany Bay between La Perouse and Kurnell – but not everyone is on-board with the project.

The main features of the development include building two wharves at La Perouse and Kurnell to cater for ferries up to 40m in length as well as commercial and recreational vessels.

Transport for NSW said the project would provide a new type of visitor experience for those entering and travelling around the national park.

A concept plan of the La Perouse Wharf.

It would also bring back the public ferry service that operated between La Perouse and Kurnell for 75 years until the wharves were damaged in 1974 by a heavy storm.

Save Yarra Bay has raised concerns over the project including the construction of a 180m wharf with commercial berths it said “would be detrimental to the environment and recreational users of Botany Bay”.

“What a vision for La Perouse – party boats, noise, traffic, loss of biodiversity and pollution,” one member said.

Randwick Council has meanwhile called for further details on the project including traffic and parking impacts and the operation of the development.

WOOLWORTHS

A concept plan of the development.

Plans by Woolworths to set up shop in Bondi Beach were met with a wave of opposition from residents and concerns from council planners.

Earlier this year, the retail giant lodged plans to turn three ground floor retail tenancies at 10-14 Hall St into a neighbourhood style supermarket with a grocery, food preparation, back of house areas

The retailer said the $524,000 small scale fit-out have would offered the convenience of a supermarket while avoiding impacts generally associated with typical large format supermarkets such as noise and traffic.

But the release of plans animated residents who lodged submissions arguing it would worsen traffic and destroy the village atmosphere.

“Do we need another conglomerate or chain in Bondi – it reduces the local appeal and differentiation of Bondi as a local village atmosphere and offering for residents and tourists alike,” one local wrote.

Woollahra Council raised similar concerns and knocked back the project after finding it was not in the public interest.

In its decision, the council added it was contrary to local planning laws and failed to fit in with the desired character of the Bondi beachfront area

In a statement, Woolworths said it has accepted the decision and “will not relodge plans or proceed with a store at this location.”

EDEN STREET

A concept plan of the new buildings.

Concerns over height impacts have been raised after developer giant Billbergia lodged massive plans to turn an Arncliffe social housing estate into four separate towers standing up to 23 storeys tall 

Plans for the $253.4 million project at Eden Street in Arncliffe include 744 apartments, including 180 social housing apartments along with a New Park and retail areas.

But the project has been met with concerns over traffic congestion, building heights and impacts on existing residents at the site.

The social housing estate was last year turned into emergency accommodation for Covid-19 impacted Sydneysiders with 139 households granted housing at the site.

Development plans stated “all residents will need to be relocated in late 2022 to allow for the commencement of the redevelopment.”

Bayside Council has meanwhile opposed the height of buildings proposed which would make it “difficult to reconcile with the surrounding area.”

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority also confirmed the proposed would infringe Sydney Airport’s highly inner horizontal surface airspace heights limits.

The plans are currently under assessment by the Department of Planning.

K2K

The high rise boom between Kingsford and Kensington shows no signs of slowing with a raft of new projects in the works along the light rail corridor.

In 2019, Randwick Council approved the masterplan for the development push, allowing towers to be built up to 18-storeys tall.

This is what 390-396 Anzac Parade could look like.

The council’s plans stated the project would “support growth” and “improve local connections to public transport by focusing density around light rail infrastructure”.

The approval came after more 70 per cent of the 392 written submissions opposed the masterplan with alarm bells raised over traffic congestion and height impacts.

Since then, a string of major developments have been lodged for the corridor including a 507 boarding home development at 111-125 Anzac Parade

Directly opposite that development will be another 18-storey tower with 175 rooms at 172-180 Anzac Parade.

There are also plans for a 156 boarding room development at 390-396 Anzac Parade that would operate as student accommodation.