14 February: 194 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction

In 2019, the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, upon the recommendation from the Independent Planning Commission (IPC), approved a Planning Proposal (PP) to upzone 194–214 Oxford Street and 2 Nelson Street, Bondi Junction.

The PP was to increase the maximum height of buildings on the sites from 15 to 36 metres, increase the floor space ratio from 1.5:1 to 3.5:1 and to remove the heritage listing from four terrace houses. The proposed height and FSR would allow for development of two 11-storey residential towers with 94 apartments.

Council twice refused the proposal on the basis that the development is excessively large, will result in overdevelopment of the side, may set a precedent for adjoining sites seeking additional height and floor space, and that it is not in the public interest.

Despite Council’s continued requests to DPIE and the NSW Minister of Planning for refusal, the PP was approved and gazetted on 20 September 2019.

Not only has the PP increased the permitted height and FSR of buildings as above, and remove the heritage listing from four terrace houses, it also requires both a design excellence competition and a site specific Development Control Plan (DCP).

With the Planning Proposal now out of Council’s hands, I want to ensure that our community has as much say as possible is shaping the site specific DCP and in how the VPA can be used to maximise public and residential amenity.

Council is exhibiting the site specific DCP in order to ensure that any development occurring on site is done so within the specified development controls. This includes controls about built form, design excellence, public domain including beautification and amenity, and waste.

To have your say on the DCP, and to provide feedback on the Voluntary Planning Agreement the Council is working hard to secure on behalf of residents, please visit haveyoursay.waverley.nsw.gov.au