Mosman has reached 50% of its five-year target of 500 dwellings under the State Government’s low and mid-rise housing policy (LMR) – all within a week.
“The State Government set Mosman a five-year housing target of 500 dwellings, based on what it considered appropriate growth for our area,” Mayor Ann Marie Kimber told NL. “Yet under the new LMR controls, more than 250 dwellings have been proposed in just one week (in July), over half the target already.”
The 250 dwellings come from several developments, including 107 apartments at 494 to 500 Military Road and 516 Military Road. Honeysuckle Garden (plant nursery) and Midas Auto Services currently operate on the site. The Planning Minister declared the site a state significant development (SSD) on 12 June, meaning council will not assess the development. Another development application was under assessment for a block of 29 units under the LMR at 93 Awaba Street.
Mayor Kimber said that council was concerned about how the infrastructure in Mosman would support the growing residential developments.
“This level of growth, if left unchecked, will have serious and irreversible implications for Mosman,” said Mayor Kimber. “Our schools, health services, transport systems, traffic flow, open green spaces and stormwater infrastructure are not equipped to accommodate such rapid change. None of this has been properly planned or modelled by the State Government.”
The new planning reforms in NSW allow developers to bypass councils and have their applications fast tracked by the Housing Development Authority, which has stripped local councils of their power, said Mayor Kimber.
Mosman Council has called on the NSW Government to ‘stop sidelining local councils and communities.’
“Work with us, not against us. Respect the planning controls developed through years of careful consultation and engagement.”
Council said it also objected to the government’s decision to reduce the exhibition period for certain SSDs from 28 days to 14 days, saying it reduced the community’s ability to engage and provide meaningful feedback on significant and potentially high impact developments.
“This is a very disappointing decision by the government which significantly impacts councils’ ability to analyse SSD plans and documents, and make submissions on major developments that will affect our communities,” Mayor Kimber concluded.