Inside elite Sydney school’s $60m castle development

One of Australia’s most prestigious schools is about to unveil its new student centre built in the style of a Scottish castle.

An elite Sydney private school is about to unviel a $60 million student centre built in the style of a Scottish baronial castle once described as a “cut price Hogwarts” — but some cashed-up locals and parents are not happy.

The Scots College in Bellevue Hill was approved to replace its brutalist 1988 library with a new structure in 2019 and in 2023 invited Prince Edward to lay its foundation stone.

Scots College's new castle student centre. Picture: JCA Architects

It is set to be unveiled by the school. Picture: JCA Architects

Scots, founded in 1893, charged tuition fees of $25,000 and $46,000 per student from Kindergarten to Year 12 in 2024.

It says the new John Cunningham Student Centre was a “distinctly Scottish building for a school that draws its inspiration and heritage from Scotland”.

Scots will publicly unveil the castle this week, but some parents are not happy as they’ve been hit with a $50 fee to attend its opening.

“Parents are ropeable about being charged to attend the opening after delays, and the building being well over budget,” one parent told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Scots College Principal Dr Ian Lambert in front of the old Stevenson Library. Picture: John Appleyard

At the time of lodging the plans, Scots said on its website that “no increase in current student numbers is being proposed as part of the … John Cunningham Student Centre upgrade”.

The school has since successfully applied to a planning panel for its student to rise numbers from 1120 to 1520, alongside a new underground car park with tennis courts above.

Paul Blanket, spokesman for the Concerned Scots Neighbours group, said these additional plans would have “major flow on effects on a clogged-up local road network”.

“It goes against the spirit and commitments of both the council and school,” he said.

“It demonstrates the ‘ratcheting effect’ of increasing floor space, then back filling students to fill that space and pay for the development costs.”

Inside the castle-inspired building. Picture: JCA Architects

It resembles a royal abode. Picture: JCA Architects

On its website, Scots describes the John Cunningham Centre as “far more than an impressive building”.

“Housed within it are learning spaces and spaces for students to meet and learn together,” it says.

“This allows for the normalisation of counselling and other support services to ensure that all students receive the proactive resources that they need to be not just a student, but to flourish and thrive and graduate as fine young men.”

Scots acknowledged the new building – originally slated to cost $29 million – would obstruct the views of about seven properties in the ritzy area of Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Its design drew some criticism on Reddit thread architecture revival, with one calling it akin to a “cut price Hogwarts applique onto an airconditioner beer fridge of a building”.