Here is an update regarding the Ku-ring-gai Council’s Transport Orientated Development (TOD) plans and the impact it will have on the Lindfield Village Hub (LVH).

In summary,

1. Council has opposed the State TOD, produced 4 scenarios of their own and sought feedback from the community.

2. Council has taken the community feedback and settled on an alternative TOD which includes:

a. Extending the TOD area to 800m from the Gordon and Lindfield railway stations

b. Increasing the height to 28 storeys in Gordon and 18 storeys in Lindfield

c. Retaining 80% of Heritage Conservation Areas (HCA)

3. The alternative TOD is open for public comment until Tuesday April 22nd 5pm. Have your say now.

4. State Government TOD is active now and will remain active until the Council alternative TOD is approved. More applications will be submitted and grandfathered once the new TOD is in place. However, they would not pass approval with the new TOD.

5. Positive impact for Lindfield Village Hub.

For more detail about each point above and links to council documents, please read on.

Point 1

Many will be aware that the NSW Planning Minister introduced a TOD (Transport Oriented Development) in May 2024 that covers land (except Listed Heritage Houses) within 400m of Roseville, Lindfield, Killara, and Gordon Stations. The State TOD effectively rezoned land for 6-8 storey apartment buildings across much of the HCA’s (Heritage Conservation areas). A blunt approach, with very poor planning and development outcomes. The State Government, however, left the door open for Ku-ring-Gai Council to prepare an alternative if it was sensible and achieved the same housing numbers. In late 2024, Council produced 4 Scenarios and planning principles for the community to consider. Support Lindfield produced a video explaining the State TOD and these scenarios.

Point 2

Over the past few months Council have consolidated the community feedback, produced a 400-page document, settled on a preferred alternative TOD. This went on public exhibition a few weeks ago. It effectively retains some 80% of the HCA predominately on the eastern side of the rail in Roseville and Gordon. To achieve the same housing numbers, the density and heights in Lindfield and Gordon Town centres has been significantly increased. It peaks at 18 storeys in the Lindfield/LVH area and 28 storeys on the Council Chamber site in Gordon. Additionally, the new TOD area is extended to up to 800m on the eastern side of Lindfield and Gordon. This link takes you to the details of changes around each station.

Point 3

The new Ku-ring-gai Council TOD is a very dramatic change to our suburb but the least worst option available given the State TOD is in place and active. The preferred TOD is open for public comment via an online survey until 22 April 2025 at 5pm, an insanely short period given Easter and school holidays. We encourage all to participate. Link to Survey.

Point 4

One of the issues that has arisen from this State/Council planning fiasco is that the current State TOD is lawful and remains in place until another replaces it. This means that a Development Application can be made now on land that falls outside the new Council TOD or with lower planning controls (height, density, setbacks). The new Council TOD could be 6-9 months away from being considered by NSW Planning and brought into force. New planning instruments (eg. Council TOD) contain a “Saving and Transitional” provision that effectively lawfully “grandfathers” developments that are in the planning process at a prescribed date. Currently there are about a dozen mainly SSDA (State Significant Development Applications) in the planning process but many more are expected. It is expected that many will be on land that would not be permissible under the new Council TOD. They are SSDA and have an added barb in that they set aside the Council’s heritage controls in Ku-ring-gai’s Development Control Plan (DCP). Additionally, there will be many Heritage Listed Houses that will be isolated/orphaned and surrounded by an 8-9 storey building. Understandably, these owners are irate as their “listing” was often unknown and from dubious drive by assessments. The worst of all worlds for many, hence the fiasco! More on these in Roseville and Killara in the next update.

Point 5

Despite the impacts there are positives for the LVH (Lindfield Village Hub). You might remember it stalled about 18 months ago when the State Government reneged on their $10m contribution to the commuter parking 24 hours before Council and the Preferred Developer were due to sign the project agreements. The additional floor space/apartments and height (9-18 storeys) under the new TOD will make the project viable. With the increased number of apartments in Roseville, Lindfield and Killara over the next 30 years the Hub will be crucial to the TOD’s success and community life of existing and new residents. It’s the New Heart to our Village that the community envisaged 13 years ago.

As Season 13 of the Hub finishes, we await Season 14 where the HUB will have to be replanned/designed to accommodate the TOD changes.