Ku-ring-gai Council is seeking community feedback on five options to deliver new housing supply around Roseville, Lindfield, Killara and Gordon stations. 

One of these scenarios is the NSW Government’s existing Transport Oriented Development (TOD) planning policy. This policy was introduced in May 2024 and rezones areas within 400m of the stations for apartment buildings between six and eight storeys in height. 

Four other scenarios have been prepared by Council, which all deliver the same level of housing supply as the government’s policy (23,200 new homes).  

The primary objective of Council’s scenarios is to protect Heritage Conservation Areas (HCAs) and to improve urban tree canopy outcomes. 

On 8 May 2024 Council resolved to prepare these scenarios, after expressing concerns about the NSW Government’s policy which came into place on 13 May 2024. 

These concerns included the fact that the government’s policy would: 

• Encourage the demolition of 410 homes in Heritage Conservation Areas (HCA's)
• Allow a further 136 individual heritage items to be isolated and surrounded by high-rise development.
• Place development in sensitive environmental land, including land containing natural watercourses, critically-endangered vegetation or which is on a steep slope or bushfire prone. 
• Divide street blocks into areas of low and high-rise development, which means some homeowners left in low-rise areas face living directly alongside apartment buildings of up to eight storeys, causing significant overshadowing, privacy and other impacts on these homes. 
• Not deliver viable development outcomes in town centres, which prevents the revitalisation of these centres to support new housing with retail facilities and community infrastructure.   

In addition, the Council was concerned that the policy was introduced without community consultation. Consequently, Council has delivered four alternative scenarios for community feedback. 

The scenarios are: 

• Scenario 1 (Existing NSW Government Controls) – Transport Oriented Development (TOD) planning policy

• Scenario 2a (Safeguard and Intensify) - Safeguards some, but not all Heritage Conservation Areas (HCAs) by transferring dwellings from these areas to commercial centres 

• Scenario 2b (Minor Amendment to Existing NSW Government Controls) - Limited protection of HCAs, limited protection of tree canopy and largely within TOD boundaries 

• Scenario 3a – (Preserve and Intensify) – Protects all HCAs by transferring dwellings from these areas to commercial centres. To limit building heights in smaller centres, dwellings are transferred from Killara to Gordon, and from Roseville to Lindfield 

• Scenario 3b – (Preserve, Intensify and Expand) - All the same outcomes as Scenario 3a, however to further limit centre building heights, some dwellings are shifted to new residential areas within 400-800m of stations 

All the scenarios deliver around the same level of housing supply (23,200 new homes) over the next 15 years. The NSW Government has made it clear that if Councils are to propose alternatives to its policy, these alternatives must meet or exceed the number of dwellings in the NSW Government TOD policy. 

Council is hopeful this will happen, given that Council’s scenarios deliver around the same number of dwellings as the NSW Government’s scheme. 

Council has undertaken a comparison of Ku-ring-gai’s southern heritage conservation areas (including in Roseville, Lindfield, Killara and Gordon) with a wide range of other Sydney conservation areas. 

This comparison found that there are three unique aspects to these conservation areas, which makes them different to other Sydney heritage conservation areas. 

These aspects are: 

• The cohesive and intact Federation and inter-war housing patterns with relatively little Victorian or inter-war flat layers. 
• The singular pattern of this housing along the rail line from track construction in 1890 and later extensions. Other local government areas within inner Sydney developed in more complex ways largely based on the earlier networks of trains (from 1855), trams (from 1880) and ferries (from 1861); and 
• The high proportion of architect designed dwellings representing the work of many prominent architects of the era. 

This report is available here 

Given the above, Council’s alternative housing scenarios – particularly Scenarios 3a and 3b – have a focus on preserving heritage items and areas.  

The NSW Government has made no changes to permissible development or listing status of heritage items that are excluded from the mapped TOD sites. Council’s proposed scenarios seek to better plan the development around heritage items to protect their significance and their setting. 

Council is seeking and considering feedback on five possible scenarios for increased housing - not heritage listings or individual site matters.  

The community will have the opportunity to comment on these matters when Council adopts a specific option as a planning proposal for formal consultation. Council can then consider community comments on changes contained within Council’s planning proposal. 

While the NSW Government has introduced the TOD policy, it has not changed existing heritage items and conservation area listings nor the assessment process for these. 

Changing an existing heritage listing as a heritage conservation area or a heritage item requires a planning proposal and heritage assessment. More information is available at:

• Council’s heritage webpage and
• Council’s planning proposal webpage 

Proposed changes to listing need to be based on an assessment of the heritage significance of the place under the Heritage Council criteria and NSW heritage standards, not development or planning issues that are managed by separate planning controls.

Council will be taking several steps to coordinate infrastructure alongside growth in these precincts. 

Firstly, Council is currently assessing baseline vehicle, pedestrian and cycling data in the four station precincts. It is also examining the potential transport implications of the NSW Government’s planning changes introduced in May 2024. 

If Council selects an alternative land-use scenario in the four precincts, this scenario will also be assessed for its transport impacts (most likely in early 2025). 

New or upgraded transport infrastructure in the precincts may include new or modified traffic signals, new pedestrian and cycling facilities, traffic calming and a review of speed limits, and changes to traffic flows/road network layout. 

Secondly, Council will review its local infrastructure contributions plan, which outlines how Council requires the development industry to contribute to the cost of delivering infrastructure that supports new development. By undertaking this review, the Council will seek to ensure that the plan is aligned with the infrastructure needs of new residents in the precincts. 

This contributions plan will support new parks, upgrades to existing parks and upgrades to streets, roads and pedestrian areas. A revised local infrastructure contributions plan will also levy for improvements to local streets and roads including the pedestrian footpaths. The need for intersection upgrades will be informed by the traffic impact studies currently underway. 

However, in doing this Council will be limited by the NSW Government on the types of infrastructure it can levy for. For instance, Council can levy for the land for community facilities, but not the construction of these facilities.  

The review of the local infrastructure contributions plan will be completed when Council has selected a preferred option. 

Council is lobbying the NSW Government to deliver regional and state infrastructure in northern Sydney. 

At its 22 October 2024 meeting, Council resolved to request the NSW Government to commit to the following state and regional infrastructure projects to support population growth across Ku-ring-gai: 

• Mona Vale to Macquarie Park rapid bus corridor 
• Pacific Highway widening over the T1 North Shore Line at the Pymble and Turramurra local centres 
• Turramurra bus interchange upgrade 
• Gordon to Chatswood strategic cycleway 
• All-day frequent bus network in low-density residential areas  

Finally, Council’s four scenarios provide potential capacity for the creation of new community infrastructure, such as open space, libraries and community centres, included in – and funded by - new development sites in town centres. This outcome is not feasible as part of the NSW Government’s existing controls. 

Studies are being prepared to assess the travel impacts of additional dwellings in the TOD precincts and the alternative TOD precincts. As an indication though, surveys have shown that dwellings located close to railway stations typically generate 80% less vehicle traffic during morning and evening peak hours compared with single homes located further away from railway stations. Studies will identify solutions to hotspots, which may include new or modified traffic lights, roundabouts, traffic calming and changes to traffic circulation. 

Results from the ABS Census indicates that car ownership is lower for areas along the railway corridor than areas further away. Similarly, areas along the railway line use public transport to travel to work more than areas further away. Council’s car parking requirements for new apartments within 800m of a station reflect this, as each underground car parking space can add up to $100,000 to the cost of an apartment which reduces affordability. 

Council is working on formalising a car share scheme in Ku-ring-gai which ultimately would help residents of apartments who need access to additional cars but don’t have the parking spaces on-site for them. 

New dwellings in the TOD precincts or alternative TOD precincts would be within 600m-800m of railway stations, which is typically 5-10 minutes walking time. Residents living this close would not need to drive and park at their nearby station. 

Council cannot provide advice to property owners on the sale of their property. The Council is consulting the community on new housing options for the Gordon, Killara, Lindfield and Roseville areas located 400-800 metres of train stations.

Affordable housing is for households earning up to $2,492 per week which is a fixed proportion of the median income for Sydney as at the 2021 census. Rent is fixed at 30% of the household’s actual income. The units must be managed by a registered community housing provider which operates under specific rules. 

Council encourages you to make a submission on your preferred new housing option. Submissions close on Tuesday 17 December.  

Requests to change planning controls for individual properties requests need to follow the Planning Proposal process outlined on the Council's website.  

See the latest updates on this legal action on this webpage. 

At the same page, you can find information on other ways Council has responded to the TOD policy since its announcement in December 2023. 

Council engaged a consultant to provide advice on whether the NSW Government’s TOD controls are feasible in Ku-ring-gai, and if feasible, what would be the likely take-up of development each year that could occur. 

As this advice contains sensitive commercial information about individual properties, it is not available publicly. 

The advice, however, found that while the NSW Government’s TOD policy produced viable development outcomes when applied to existing low-density residential areas, it would not produce viable development outcomes in commercial areas. 

Council’s scenarios have been designed to deliver viable development in centres and residential areas. More detailed feasibility analysis will be undertaken as part of the selection of preferred scenario following the exhibition process. 

The Transport Orientated Development policy of the NSW Government requires 2% of the gross floor area of all buildings over 2000sqm to be managed in perpetuity by a community housing provider (CHP). How many units that becomes depends both on how much development takes place and the size of the units provided as affordable housing. 

Residents of affordable housing are usually employed in low to moderate income jobs in the same area where they need housing, but who cannot afford to rent in the open market. Social housing is for people on very low incomes (usually wholly reliant on government income support such as the old age pension, disability support payments, long-term unemployment benefits – especially older workers). Social housing is provided by the state government. Affordable housing may be provided by any level of government as well as not-for-profit groups and private developers. 

Actual numbers will depend on how much development actually takes place at a requirement rate of 2% of the gross floor area for developments over 2000sqm. The size of the individual dwellings within the total square metres required are a matter for the developer in discussion with the Community Housing Provider (CHP). Additionally, developers can also seek an optional bonus floor area of 20-30% by providing 10-15% affordable dwellings for a minimum of 15 years. 

Council is in the process of preparing an Affordable Housing Policy which will be considered by the Council in the next few months. As part of this work, Council will consider the percentage of new housing which should be set aside for affordable housing, if it chooses to progress one of the scenarios. 

Once the draft Affordable Housing Policy is considered by the Council, implementation options will be considered in more detail such as preparing an affordable housing contributions scheme (which is like a local infrastructure contributions plan) and developing relationships with community housing providers. 

The five housing scenarios on exhibition predominantly focus on the area within 400m of Roseville, Lindfield, Killara and Gordon stations.

The exception to this is Scenario 3b, which proposes apartment buildings of up to eight storeys in some residential areas up to 800m from these stations (rising to a potential 10 storeys if additional temporary affordable housing is provided).

Separately, the NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise planning reforms affect the area 400-800m from Roseville, Lindfield, Killara and Gordon stations and within 800 m of all other stations and St Ives centre.

 These reforms were announced in December 2023 in draft form, but have yet to be finalised. A finalisation announcement is expected before Christmas.

The reforms as announced in December 2023 would allow a new seven-storey height limit for apartment buildings, in areas zoned for these buildings within 400m to 800m of Roseville, Lindfield, Killara and Gordon stations. Developers are also allowed to breach the above height limits if they deliver temporary affordable housing.

When Council makes a decision on its preferred scenario (expected to be in early 2025), Council will be further considering this issue to ensure the two planning reforms align.

Council is seeking your feedback on the five scenarios which are currently on exhibition until Tuesday 17 December. 

Please note this is not an opportunity to make unsolicited requests to change planning controls (including heritage-related changes) on individual sites. These requests need to follow the Planning Proposal process outlined on the Council's website.   

You can look through the detailed maps, summary brochure and detailed study available on this web page. 

You can attend two drop-in sessions, where you can meet Council staff and ask questions. No prior registration is required. 

Council is holding two public meetings, where you will be given a presentation on the scenarios and then be able to ask questions and make comments.  

To assist Council’s organisation of this event, proposed attendees are required to register here. 

You can also register to attend an online forum on Thursday 21 November between 6:30pm-8pm. 

REGISTER HERE

Call 9424 0000 or email housing@krg.nsw.gov.au with any queries. 

We encourage people to have their say by completing our independently run online survey. 

However, you can also: 

• Mail a submission to Ku-ring-gai Council, Locked Bag 1006, Gordon NSW 2072 – please quote Reference Number S14715-1 
• Fill out a printed surveys are available at Council’s Customer Service Centre (818 Pacific Highway Gordon), Gordon Library (799 Pacific Highway Gordon) and Lindfield Library (265 Pacific Highway Lindfield). You can leave the filled-out survey with the library.

It is proposed that Council will consider community feedback on the scenarios at a meeting in February 2025. 

If there is Council support for a preferred scheme it may request the NSW Government  for approval to formally exhibit it to replace the government’s TOD policy. The exhibition will be a further opportunity for the public to comment. 

This formal exhibition process would be likely to include more detailed maps showing precise floor space, height and other controls for specific land parcels. 

Before making a decision on the scenarios, Council may also be carefully considering how they integrate with the NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise reforms which affect areas within 400-800m of stations (see above question on this issue).