Site to occupy 24 blocks on Parraween and Gerard Sts
Pathways Residences has put in a development application for a seniors development over 7,354 square metres at 50 to 88 Parraween Street and 59 to 67 Gerard Street, Cremorne. North Sydney Council does not support the application, and 42 submissions were received in objection, with six in support.
The state significant development is under review by the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), with residents concerned about parking, pedestrian access and safety. Parking and traffic is already an issue on the narrow Parraween Street, with many businesses including the Orpheum.
Around 70 people raised concerns at a community drop-in information session in February. Pathways said the project would actually increase on- street parking by reducing the number of driveways on Parraween St and increasing kerb space.
Some people were concerned about the basement car park entrance on Parraween St, as it would mean the removal of a cottage and worsen traffic.
Pathways said that busy Gerard St was an unsuitable location for a driveway entrance, and the driveway could not be positioned further east as it would impact the Orpheum. There is also a proposed pedestrian walkway through green space from Parraween St to Gerard St, so Pathways said the driveway could not be moved there.
The development would replace 24 dwellings on Parraween and Gerard Streets. The area has a large proportion of residents aged 60 and over, which is expected to grow.
A six-month interim heritage order was placed on several historical cottages on Parraween Street last November, extended by ministerial order until November 2023. Pathways is now seeking to retain some of the existing cottages.
North Sydney Council has made a submission against the proposal, with ‘strong concerns’ it would have an ‘unacceptable impact’ on a number of late Victorian cottages and Federation dwellings. In addition, council is concerned about height breaches, with the biggest at 16 metres, and says the development ‘is of a scale and form that is out of character with the current and desired future character of the area’.
The development would have a five- storey residential care facility with 41 single rooms, and three other blocks containing 58 units.
A 28-day consultation has concluded, and will now be assessed by DPE.