Land and Environment Court to decide on application for 686 units on ex-Caringbah High School land

An application to upsize the proposed development on former Caringbah High School land has been refused by Sydney South Planning Panel.

However, anticipating the decision, the developer appealed to the Land and Environment Court, which will make the final decision.

Land and Environment Court commissioner Susan O'Neill held an on-site hearing at the site on Tuesday where residents had an opportunity to express their concerns.

The developer is seeking to add 243 more apartments to what has previously been approved by the Land and Environment Court, to take the total number to 686 units in nine buildings. The estimated construction cost would be $142 million.

The Education Department sold the land for about $20 million in 2012

Sydney South Planning Panel, in its written decision on August 17. found that the revised proposal was deficient on multiple grounds, including not satisfying pre-conditions for obtaining a bonus floor space ratio in that less than 50 per cent of the gross floor area would be dedicated to affordable rental housing.

The panel also found there was insufficient information given to demonstrate the affordable housing would be used and maintained for a minimum period of 15 years, as required under the government planning policy.

Other areas in which the application was found to be lacking included vegetation, apartment design and the internal road network.

A total of 70 community submissions were received, raising issues including traffic and parking, infrastructure capacity, development scale and amenity impacts.

An assessment by a consultant to the Department of Planning and Environment recommended refusal.

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Bid to 'upsize' development of former Caringbah High School land to provide 686 units