The Lindfield Hub site which is to house the new Lindfield Library, Seniors and Community Centre as well as shops, cafes, supermarkets and carparking is still far from finalised. However, this has not stopped Ku-ring-gai Council lodging a Development Application for the existing Library, tennis courts and community services buildings to be replaced by a 134 units across 8 storey buildings on the site.
The Lindfield Hub, previously agreed by the community to be no higher than 7 storey residential is now being pushed by Council to be up to 14 storeys, with less open space and public amenity. In the community workshops for the new higher density proposals, the reaction by residents has been understandably negative. A scale back of the Lindfield Hub was supported to fit the site, not to go higher. With sizeable libraries in both Chatswood and Gordon, with 2 existing supermarkets and a mega Harris Farm, the plans for the Lindfield Hub are now believed to be overdeveloped. The community is increasingly annoyed that the funds from the sale of another Lindfield community asset, the Lindfield Library site, are not going to be used to support the Hub and new community facilities, hence forcing the increased densification (14 storeys) of the Hub site to support its development.
Moving to higher residential buildings for the Lindfield Hub will set a precedent for higher density and highrise across Ku-ring-gai.
FOKE president Kathy Cowley spoke to the North Shore Times in January 2019 and confirmed FOKE did not agree with selling the public land. “We believe it should be held in public interest because we need more community facilities, not less,” she said.
She said an application to demolish the library was premature when there was no replacement Library available. Assurances from Council that this would not occur appear to have been overlooked.
Within one kilometre of the current Library site there are 5 primary schools which makes this move to sell the existing site without a satisfactory and well-placed replacement, a retrograde step for the community.
We have until February 14th to comment on this Lindfield Library site DA. Please make your concerns heard by responding to Council with reference to DA0570/18.