Paddington Boarding House Demolition Approved For Luxury Apartment Redevelopment

A development application has been approved for the demolition of a boarding house in Paddington, Sydney, to make way for a luxury apartment project, following a long-running legal battle between the developer and the City of Sydney.

The Selwyn Street property, a 32-room boarding house that has provided low-cost accommodation for decades, was purchased by LFD Developments, which proposed replacing it with four luxury residences. Residents were issued eviction notices in October last year, with most having since vacated the building following a series of extensions to the original deadline. At the time of the final departures, only a small number of residents remained in the building.

The City of Sydney rejected the development application back in 2023, citing concerns about social impact and the loss of affordable housing stock. The matter proceeded to the NSW Land and Environment Court after the developer appealed the refusal. The Court ultimately upheld the council’s decision, rejecting the proposal on the basis of the loss of affordable rental accommodation and its broader social impact.

Court documents noted the significance of boarding houses as long-term low-cost housing in the inner city. The site had operated as a boarding house for more than 60 years, housing low-income residents, including some who had lived there for decades.

But an appeal against that finding has now been successful, with the developer given the green-light to proceed with the proposal.

One former resident, who lived at the property for more than 20 years, said in court-related proceedings: “We had a bond it was like a family.”

Another former resident said: “Boarding houses are important to the community; it keeps people off the streets,” and described the displacement experience as “the worst experience in the world”.

Neighbouring residents and community representatives had also raised concerns during the process, with one neighbour stating: “People have got to have somewhere to live, somewhere that’s affordable and safe in the inner city.”