Ku-ring-gai Council Unanimously Approves 24,500 New Homes

Ku-ring-gai Council has unanimously voted to approve a new housing strategy that will see the construction of 24,500 new homes around key railway stations in the region. 

While the plan aims to meet growing housing demands, it has raised concerns about the high-density development proposed for areas like Lindfield, Gordon, and Killara. 

Critics argue that the scale of the development could “sacrifice” the character of local town centres and heritage areas, with some fearing the plan will prioritise housing targets over community identity.

Ku-ring-gai council’s rezoning housing plan

After months of legal battles with the NSW government over its original rezoning plan, the council revealed a revised housing plan in March. The new proposal includes the construction of apartment towers up to 28 storeys high within 800 metres of key train stations in the region, extending the development zone beyond the state’s original 400-metre radius.

The plan introduces moderate building heights while protecting 80% of heritage conservation areas. Key development proposals include the tallest buildings at Gordon Station, where towers could rise up to 28 storeys, while Lindfield would see structures up to 18 storeys. Roseville and Killara would have more restrained height limits, capped at 8 storeys.

On 31 March 2025, Ku-ring-gai Council held an Extraordinary General Meeting to review community feedback on alternative housing options that could replace the NSW Government’s Transport-Oriented Development (TOD) policy for the four train station precincts: Gordon, Killara, Roseville, and Lindfield.

The council voted unanimously to exhibit a preferred housing scenario for further community input from 2 April to 22 April 2025, a brief 21-day consultation period necessary to meet NSW Government deadlines.

Ku-ring-gai councillors on the ‘Preferred Alternative’ housing plan

According to a FAQ on the Preferred Alternative Scenario, the new proposal includes key changes such as the addition of development areas and new zones for public recreation and infrastructure. Specific changes include:

• Additional areas for development have been added in areas around Park Avenue and Robert Street, Gordon, western side of Pacific Highway (between Essex Street and Buckingham Road) Killara, corner of Marian Street and Culworth Avenue, Killara, Wolseley Road, Treatts Road and Pacific Highway Lindfield.
• New RE1 Public Recreation and SP2 Infrastructure zones are proposed for properties proposed for acquisition for new open space and roads in Gordon, Lindfield and Roseville.
•  Reduction of height to 3 storeys to manage transition impacts in areas on the southern side of Moree Street, Gordon, Killara Avenue, Killara, Stanhope Road and Marian Street Killara, Highgate Road, Lindfield, Bent Street Lindfield and Victoria Avenue, Roseville
•  Increased height on Lindfield Village Hub site (15>18 storeys) and Gordon Centre (25 > 28 storeys)

The TOD Alternative Preferred Scenario proposed by Ku-ring-gai Council aims to deliver approximately 24,562 dwellings across the four key centres: Gordon, Killara, Lindfield, and Roseville, over a 20-year period. The estimated number of dwellings per centre, according to the plan, is:

• Gordon: 9,012
• Killara: 2778
• Lindfield: 9419
• Roseville: 3353

These estimates, provided by SJB Consultants and yet to be verified by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.

FOKE raises environmental and heritage concerns over housing plan

In December 2024, Friends of Ku-ring-gai Environment Inc (FOKE) made a submission to the Council’s public exhibition to deliver new housing supply around Roseville, Lindfield, Killara and Gordon Railway Stations. While the local community group supported the Council’s priority to protect heritage and improve urban tree canopy outcomes, they also raised “critical important factors” that were being “overlooked”. 

These factors included “traffic and parking management, infrastructure and services needs and capacity, bushfire and flooding risks, and climate change considerations – all determinative for managing population growth sustainably”. 

“The overriding mandatory TOD 23,300 dwelling targets (23,200 x 2.5 people per dwelling = 58,000 proposed new people) will increase stress on environmental and heritage protections, schools, medical facilities, services and utilities, parks and playing fields,” FOKE wrote in their submission. 

“FOKE has consistently argued for the upholding of Council’s strategic planning and LEP standards – but any scenario above this + 30% uplift will set dangerous precedents not just for the four TOD suburbs, but right across Ku-ring-gai,” the community group declared.