Rose Bay: Old South Head Rd unit plan causes stir
Plans for almost 50 new units over four storeys in a leafy harbourside area have caused concern with residents fearful the infrastructure won’t cope.
Wentworth Courier
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A $17.5 million proposal to build a new 47-unit, four-storey development in Rose Bay has already raised the hackles of the local residents’ group days after the plans were lodged.
The plan is to demolish the two ground-level homes, one two-storey house and a three- to four-storey flat block on Old South Head Rd between Roberts and Princess streets to build the new complex.
Once completed, 28 of the units will be handed to a community housing provider and rented at low cost for a period of ten years.
Rose Bay Residents Association vice president Bruce Bland said he was disappointed the development exceeded the allowable 12.5m height limit – standing at 14.81m at its uppermost point.
“Everybody tries to go beyond what the rules stipulate and that contributes to the overcrowding if it is approved,” Mr Bland said.
“A major objection of the Rose Bay Residents Association is we are approving all these new developments but not building the infrastructure to go with them.
“When you’ve got more people coming to live somewhere you need more schools, better public transport, better roads and we’ve had none of that.”
Mr Bland said he was also concerned the development would only have 35 residential car spaces and four visitor spots – a number which complies with the Waverley Council Development Control Plan.
“I think they should have at least one car spot for every unit. You can’t stop people owning cars,” Mr Bland said.
“No one is going to say, ‘oh there is no carparking and the roads are busy I just won’t own one’.
“Most people need cars these days because the public transport system hasn’t been upgraded.”
The developers argue in documents lodged with the council the proposal was consistent with others in the neighbourhood.
“With the exception of the subject site, which still has a two-storey dwelling and two single-storey dwellings along the frontage, the entire block contains a consistent row of residential flat buildings of three and four storeys,” the documents read.
“The proposal has a positive social impact given the introduction of affordable housing options in a desirable and well-connected location.”
Eight trees will need to be removed, six of which are above five metres in height and require council consent.
Of the six trees, an arborist has deemed five to be poor quality and only one, a seven-metre eucalypt botryoides, to be healthy.
The report notes two other eucalypts standing nine and 18 metres tall will be retained and 56 new trees that have a mature growth height of five metres or more will be planted.
The Wentworth Courier contacted developer Mercury 21 but the inquiry was not immediately responded to.