Wolli Creek boarding house: six-storey development approved

A six-storey boarding house which was opposed by almost every resident in the street is set to proceed in a high-density southern Sydney suburb.

A high-rise boarding house has angered Wolli Creek residents. Picture: Supplied

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A six-storey boarding house which was opposed by almost every resident in the street is set to proceed in a high-density southern Sydney suburb.

The 38-room boarding house for 72 lodgers at 4 Innesdale Rd, Wolli Creek was approved by the Joint Regional Planning Panel in 2016 and received a construction certificate from Bayside Council on November 9.

The $6.52 million development includes four single rooms, 34 double occupancies, rooftop communal space and ground level parking for nine cars, eight motorbikes and eight bicycles.

In August 2016 45 Innesdale St residents and two Brodie Spark Dr residents signed a petition opposing the development first submitted to the former Rockdale Council.

“Cramming 38 rooms on six levels on this block is ludicrous,” an accompanying letter read.

“Innesdale Rd is not set up to cater for these types of people – residents coming from jail rehabilitation facilities or homelessness would not have ready access to police, medical or social services.”

The approved boarding house is in line with the height limit for future development elsewhere on Innesdale Rd. Picture: Supplied

The State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 provides “incentives” or “bonuses” such as higher density to facilitate the “effective delivery of new affordable rental housing”.

Rockdale state Labor MP Steve Kamper said he was highly concerned with the number of high-rise boarding house applications currently proposed in St George.

Local MP Steve Kamper said he was concerned about high-rise boarding houses.

“I believe the bonuses being provided under the relevant State Environmental Planning Policy simply aren’t feasible for high-rise boarding houses, and this policy needs to be reviewed,” Mr Kamper said.

“Local communities have lost control under the State Government’s planning regime, and we need a complete rethink about how we approach urban planning.”

A management plan submitted to Bayside Council indicates “lodgers need to take the neighbours’ interests into account when leaving and entering”.

The management will also forbid illicit drug use, smoking, music or instruments between 8pm and 8am, parties and visitors between 11pm and 9am.

However, a duty manager will only be required to work office hours, with residents to report concerns via an after-hours phone number at other times.

The boarding house near the intersection with the Princes Hwy is a 12 to 15 minute walk from Wolli Creek station. Picture: Toby Zerna

Residents who signed the petition also said their “freedom of living would be severely compromised by the development”.

“We are very concerned that this development would introduce new crime opportunities, new offenders and opportunistic criminal behaviour to our area,” the petition read.

“Many of us don’t lock our back doors as this is our neighbour’s entry point to our homes – we are stressed about the mental anguish this will cause us, and we would be terrified to leave our homes in the evenings, locking everything up … and jumping at every little noise.

“We don’t want to be prisoners in our own homes.”

The State Environment Planning Policy also stipulates authorities must not approve developments unless it has considered whether the design is compatible with the local area.

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