There is now unanimous support among Ku-ring-gai Councillors to reject the draft Housing Strategy prepared by Council staff and consultants. This follows an overwhelming response from residents to Support Lindfield’s community campaign, our two State MPs (The Hon. Jonathan O’Dea MP and Mr Alister Henskens SC MP) publicly speaking out against the draft Housing Strategy, and correspondence from the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces (The Hon. Rob Stokes MP) confirming that Council has ultimate responsibility for deciding dwelling targets.
All Sydney metropolitan councils are required to have a housing strategy. Ku-ring-gai Council’s draft Housing Strategy currently provides for 10,660 new dwellings up to 2036 and proposes apartment buildings of up to 15 storeys in Lindfield, Turramurra and St Ives and 20 storeys plus in Gordon. The public exhibition period for the draft Housing Strategy coincided with the COVID-19 shutdown and only 253 submissions were received by Council. However, in the lead up to the Council meeting on 22 September, over 1,000 emails were sent by residents to Councillors asking them to reject the draft Housing Strategy.
At the Council meeting, Ku-ring-gai Mayor, Jennifer Anderson (Roseville Ward) proposed a resolution that would authorise Council staff, without any involvement or oversight from Councillors or the community, to amend the draft Housing Strategy “to reflect provision of new dwellings to 2036 from capacity within current planning instruments”, make other consequential amendments and lodge the Housing Strategy with the State Government. This was based on new dwelling numbers being substantially reduced, thereby negating the need for building heights above what is currently permitted. It would effectively result in there being no real strategy for future housing in Ku-ring-gai. We understand some Councillors received the 41⁄2 page Mayoral Minute containing the resolution about an hour before the meeting, hardly enough time to make an informed decision.
Deputy Mayor Spencer (Wahroonga Ward) and Crs Ngai (Roseville Ward), Kelly (Gordon Ward), Kay (St Ives) and Pettett (Comenarra Ward) put an amendment to the Mayor’s proposed resolution. They said good governance required that Councillors must see the revised Housing Strategy before adopting it, given the extent of amendments that would be required to the lengthy document (150 pages plus about 450 pages of annexures). They also want the community to have an opportunity to provide feedback on the revised Housing Strategy.
Councillors Szatow (Gordon Ward), Smith (St Ives Ward), Greenfield (Wahroonga Ward) and Clarke (Comenarra Ward) voted with the Mayor in rejecting the amendment and supporting the Mayor’s proposed resolution to adopt the Housing Strategy before it has even been prepared. The Mayor used her casting vote to pass the resolution.
Support Lindfield President, Linda McDonald said “This demonstrates a complete failure of due process and proper governance and has effectively sought to close the door on public scrutiny. While the community will no doubt welcome the proposal to reduce dwelling numbers and abandon heights above existing limits, in the absence of transparency around the changes, there is no guarantee the new Housing Strategy will accord with community expectations.” Mr Henskens SC MP raised similar concerns in a statement issued on 25 September, which can be found here.
Later in the meeting, Deputy Mayor Spencer and Crs Ngai, Kelly, Kay and Pettett lodged a motion to rescind (overturn) the Mayor’s resolution. The effect of this is to put a hold on the implementation of the Mayor’s resolution until Council decides the rescission motion (likely at the October Council meeting). According to a statement made by Cr Ngai after the meeting, the Councillors lodged the rescission motion because the Mayor’s resolution was “not in line with...good governance and informed decision making...”.
In a press release issued after the meeting, Council provided an incomplete and misleading account of what transpired at the meeting, quoting the Mayor as saying she was “at a loss to understand” why the Councillors who lodged the rescission motion are “intent on denying residents unequivocal rejection of the Greater Sydney Commission housing targets...”. This misrepresented the position taken by those Councillors, whose objection to the Mayor’s resolution did not relate to the proposed reduction in dwelling numbers. The press release, which has been widely circulated, has resulted in considerable confusion in the community.
Whatever the outcome in October, it is clear the draft Housing Strategy will need to be completely overhauled. Councillor Clarke indicated at the Council meeting that the now defunct draft Housing Strategy has already cost ratepayers about $2 million. Support Lindfield understands there is no immediate urgency to adopt a housing strategy. According to Council, only one of the 27 Sydney metropolitan councils has to date lodged a housing strategy with the State Government.
Council should use the next month to come up with a process for preparing a considered and sensible new draft Housing Strategy based on reduced dwelling targets that accords with community needs and expectations and involves proper community consultation. For more information go to supportlindfield.net or email info@supportlindfield.net.