Council Resolution - 8-10 New McLean Street, Edgecliff
On 11 March 2024, Council resolved to refuse the planning proposal for 8-10 New McLean Street, Edgecliff.
See below for the full resolution.
THAT Council:
A. Note the advice provided by the Woollahra Local Planning Panel on 22 February 2024 regarding the planning proposal for 8-10 New McLean Street, Edgecliff.
B. Refuse the request to prepare a planning proposal for 8-10 New McLean Street, as contained at Attachment 1 of the Environmental Planning Committee report dated 4 March 2024 as it does not demonstrate strategic or site-specific merit as detailed in the staff assessment, and for the following key reasons:
i. That the site is not identified for inclusion in the Draft Edgecliff Commercial Centre planning and urban design strategy which was extensively considered, researched and exhibited.
ii. That the proposal does not demonstrate any strategic merit to justify the scale of change sought by the proponent.
iii. That the proposal reduces current affordable housing that is existing and has insurmountable traffic issues that haven't been specifically addressed.
iv. That Woollahra Municipal Council has already achieved, and is overachieved against its established housing targets, and that any uplift to this area has already been considered in the Draft Edgecliff Commercial Centre planning and urban design strategy, and that this proposal is not consistent with that.
v. That the proposal hasn't specifically looked at the environmental impacts to wildlife and the corridor leading from Edgecliff ridge line to Trumper Park.
vi. The significant impact that the proposed excavation will cause not only to the environment, but to surrounding properties in the area.
vii. There will be a significant impact with the interface with surrounding properties in the heritage conservation area.
viii. That there is no additional need for commercial floor space on this site, and any further commercial floor space would undermine the commercial floor space in the Edgecliff commercial centre.
C. Notify the proponent that Council has refused the planning proposal request in accordance with Clause 9 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021.
D. Note that should a Gateway determination be received:
i. Any planning agreement proposed by the proponent be prepared in accordance with the adopted Woollahra Voluntary Planning Agreement Policy 2020. Any affordable housing should be dedicated at 5% of the total gross floor area instead of 5% of residential gross floor area afforded by the uplift.
ii. The planning proposal and any draft voluntary planning agreement should be exhibited concurrently.
iii. The proponent pays the relevant site specific development control plan fee as identified in Council’s adopted Fees and Charges for 2023/24.
E. Request that the General Manager make this decision available on Council’s website, via social media and advises all residents and members of the community who had a submission of Council’s decision.
On 11 March 2024, Council resolved to refuse the planning proposal for 8-10 New McLean Street, Edgecliff -- a proposal with a 25 storey tower, 256 residential apartments and 2000 square metres of commercial space. Council unanimously rejected the proposal because it didn't fit in with our existing plans for Edgecliff. It would have reduced the amount of affordable housing, created traffic concerns, and it may have impacted wildlife in the nearby Trumper Park.