ordinary meeting of council to be held on tuesday, 26 april 2005 at ...

Ordinary Meeting <strong>of</strong> Council - 26 April 2005 20 / 23
1 & 1A Lamond Drive, 1444 &
1444A Pacific Highway,
Turramurra
Item 20
DA1099/04
13 April 2005
complemented by the pervading treed landscape <strong>of</strong> Ku-ring-gai, which is also underpinned by
the mature and diverse private gardens <strong>of</strong> the locality.
The area joins with other parts <strong>of</strong> Warrawee and Wahroonga, some forming separately
recognized conservation areas, <strong>to</strong> form the distinctive suburb which is quintessential <strong>to</strong> the
character <strong>of</strong> Ku-ring-gai ad <strong>to</strong> the long established identity <strong>of</strong> Sydney’s Upper North Shore”.
Some weight should <strong>be</strong> given <strong>to</strong> the significance <strong>of</strong> this area and the implications <strong>of</strong> future change.
The UCA review has reviewed 11 other areas in depth and found that only one UCA has State
heritage significance. The grading that Council’s consultant places on this precinct (State
significance) should not <strong>be</strong> ignored. This is an indica<strong>to</strong>r that future change in the precinct should
<strong>be</strong> carefully managed. Clearly this development <strong>of</strong> five s<strong>to</strong>reys in height does not fit with the
existing character and heritage values in the UCA. If we accept the recommend grading and
boundaries in the draft report, this application would result in demolition <strong>of</strong> one contribu<strong>to</strong>ry item.
If the National Trust UCA is considered, this site is on the edge <strong>of</strong> the UCA and a development <strong>of</strong>
this scale would have considerable visual and contextual impacts.
Heritage impacts <strong>of</strong> the proposed development
The proposed development is <strong>of</strong> five s<strong>to</strong>reys height along the Pacific Highway. This is a housing
form foreign <strong>to</strong> the immediate area. It would <strong>be</strong> a dominant building if built as proposed. If the
context <strong>of</strong> the UCA is considered, this development would <strong>be</strong> a very poor fit given the existing area.
The development would require demolition <strong>of</strong> a house graded as contribu<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>to</strong> the UCA and
would <strong>be</strong> partially within the amended UCA area.
When considering the site, it falls sharply <strong>to</strong> the west which allows a considerable part <strong>of</strong> the
building <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong> located <strong>be</strong>low the Pacific Highway level and away from the main public view
corridor. However, the western façade, which is the highest part <strong>of</strong> the building is orientated <strong>to</strong> the
Pacific Highway which increased its visual presence and would have impacts on the adjoining UCA
and <strong>to</strong> a limited extent the nearby heritage items. It is unfortunate that the Pacific Highway
elevation was not reduced in scale. I acknowledge that the controls in DCP55 have resulted in the
proposed development, but a <strong>be</strong>tter outcome might have <strong>be</strong>en achieved if some mechanism was
available <strong>to</strong> allow more density in the parts <strong>of</strong> the site set down from the Pacific Highway or more
density <strong>to</strong> other sites recently subject <strong>to</strong> rezoning, such as a mechanism for transfer <strong>of</strong> floor space
potential <strong>to</strong> other sites.
«Details <strong>of</strong> Council Consultation»
Urban Design Consultant
Council’s Urban Design consultant, Russell Olssen, has commented on the proposal as follows:
Principle 1 - Context
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