PETITION

16 Burns Road & 81 Coonanbarra Road, Wahroonga, Application eDA0478/24 – Long Day Care Centre

File: EM00043/11/1Vide: PT.1 

Petition to Ku-ring-gai Council 

Application No: eDA0478/24 

Applicant: Architectural Projects Pty Limited

Property: 16 Burns Road & 81 Coonanbarra Road WAHROONGA NSW 2076 

The size and scale of the proposed development (84 children, 15 staff, 1½ levels above ground/ 2 level underground parking for 18 vehicles) does not fit within the established character of a heritage conservation area and is considered out of context for the locality. This development is not suitable in a low- density residential area and does not meet minimum regulatory requirements in its current form. 

Burns Road and Coonanbarra Road are already at capacity for parked cars and traffic, with over 6,000 students attending 12 separate campuses within 1km of the subject development together with commuters parking to access the railway station 500m from the site. Double parking, blocked driveways and pedestrian near-misses are already a daily occurrence in the area, and this will be further exacerbated through additional street parking and traffic. Access to the Centre’s underground parking is only 50 metres from the Burns/ Coonanbarra Rd’s intersection. 

The proposed development includes a shortfall of on-site car parking (relative to the minimum requirement). Further, relying upon 18 very tight basement car parking spaces for drop off and staff over two levels with scissor-lift access for staff parking in this location is not appropriate. Many parents attending child-care centres are reluctant to use difficult basement level/ underground car parking and will seek to use on-street car parking, which is extremely limited in this location. 

As a long day care facility operating from 7:00am to 6:00pm within 500 metres of Wahroonga Rail station, a large proportion of parents attending the centre will park. 

Restricting resident parking and creating further congestion through the addition of 50 to 100 additional vehicles. 

External outdoor open play spaces are minimal and in one case severely compromised by a 22m high Japanese Cedar. This centre is akin to a “battery- hen” style operation – on a residential block. As this development site is currently too small to subdivide into two residences within this LGA to accommodate two families, it is clearly totally inappropriate to accommodate 200 plus children, staff, carers, visitors and parents each day. 

The proposed development has several areas of concern and non-compliance including insufficient setback from neighbouring properties, insufficient on- site parking (does not meet minimum requirements), significant loss of 18 trees within the DA and an inevitable future amendment must include the removal of the 22m Japanese Cedar that currently dominates the block using safety concerns for the 99 children and staff (plus parents and visitors) underneath its expansive canopy. 

The proposed development relies upon restrictive management measures in attempting to achieve compliance with acoustic requirements. This is indicative of the size and scale of the proposed development being more suited to existing commercial/retail centres, next to schools or on major roads. The rear of the development sits well above the neighbouring fence lines on the northern and western boundaries with no capacity to mitigate the acoustic impact of 84 children, 15 staff and a significant number of parents and carers attending the site daily following the removal of almost all vegetation. 

The addition of 8 x 660 litre industrial waste bins each week from the Centre will create further aesthetic and traffic parking issues on Burns Road. A standard, red-lidded residential garbage bin is only 120 litres so this is equivalent to 44 residential bins. 

The modern concrete industrial design is inconsistent with surrounding low density period homes in a Heritage Conservation Area including Listed 1898 item “Hazeldean” next door where its curtilage and heritage integrity will be severely compromised through the removal of all trees along its boundary and its proximity to the new contemporary building and parking access. There are four (4) additional Listed items within 50 metres of this development – opposite the site at 17 Burns Rd and 25 Burns Rd and 81A and 83 Coonanbarra Rd. The underground car park will be directly on the Hazeldean boundary line, and the building above has minimal (and non-compliant) setback in places. 

The proposed development results in a substantial impact on the privacy of neighbours, in particular, residents of “Hazeldean” 14 Burns Road, 16A Burns Road, 81 and 81a Coonanbarra Rd, particularly to the rear of the site where the block falls away and proposed rooms/ play areas will overlook neighbouring properties with no privacy mitigation. 

The developer has already completed unauthorised storm water building works at 81 Coonanbarra Rd without Council consent – suggesting potential compliance issues in future should the development proceed. 

Accordingly, by adding my name and address to this petition, I confirm I am a resident living within the Ku-ring-gai Council LGA, I object to the proposed development, I authorise Change.org to provide my contact details to the Petitioner and Ku-ring-gai Council and urge Ku-ring-gai Council to reject the Development Application submitted. 

(319 signatures). 

Resolved: (Moved: Councillors Wheatley/Devlin) That the petition be received and referred to the appropriate Officer of Council for attention.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

16 Burns Road, Wahroonga
eDA0478/24
Written Public Comment deadline 2 January 2025


The public have an opportunity to comment on a commercial development currently before Ku-ring-gai Council by 2 January 2025.

The 16 Burns Road Community Action Group is calling on Ku-ring-gai residents to voice their right to object to this excessive commercial development before Kuring gai Council as in its current form risks losing local neighbourhood and amenities.

This development is the first time a commercial development of this scale is proposed for a quiet residential street in a heritage conservation zone and will set a precedent across other heritage conservation areas.

• 84 children aged 0-4 years
• 15 staff onsite from 6:45am
• 7:00am to 6:00pm operating hours daily
• Two levels of underground parking for 18 vehicles – vehicle entry approx. 50 metres from Burns/ Coonanbarra Rd intersection
• 1,594sqm block/ 22m frontage surrounded by residential low- density homes on all sides
• Major traffic congestion anticipated Daily acoustic (noise) impact from 100+ kids, visitors and adults up to 11 hours a day
• Virtually every tree on the site to be removed
• Developers have already completed unauthorised stormwater works prior to DA approval – raising future DA noncompliance concerns
• Potential significant loss of residential street all-day parking in Burns, Coonanbarra, Bareena, Grosvenor and beyond due to the facility’s parent commuters
• Sets precedent for future commercial developments in heritage conservation zones/ low density residential streets
• Weekly waste includes 8 x 660litre industrial wheeled bins (your standard household red lid garbage bin is only 120 litres)
• Wahroonga traffic congestion already deals with rail commuters and over 6,000 students attending ten K to Year 12 campuses daily within a 1km radius of this development
  
  
  The 16 Burns Rd community action group has been formed by local residents to fight this totally inappropriate and excessive development in a low- density heritage conservation zone adjoining one of Wahroonga’s most prominent listed properties.
  
  
  Residents should be made aware of the impact this development will have on our local community, street parking, traffic flow and amenities and the precedent this sets for all residential streets (including within heritage
  conservation zones) should it proceed.
  
  
  Our local community group is obtaining legal and town planning advice to fight this development and will provide appropriate wording for resident objections to be lodged with Council’s Assessing officer Luke Donovan before the 02 January 2025 deadline for resident comment.
  
  
  Please review the documents on Councils website using their online DA Tracker citing eDA0478/24 or for further information on how you can lodge your objection or help email John at 16burnsroad@gmail.com
  
  Note this development is not subject to the NSW Governments Transport Oriented Development (TOD) SEPP and will proceed if not vigorously opposed by local residents.