Redland School’s Bid To Purchase Entire Sydney Street Upsets Locals

A private Anglican school, Sydney Church of England Co-educational Grammar School (SCEGGS Redlands), is in talks to purchase a public street in Cremorne, and locals aren’t happy. While North Sydney Council rebuffed Redlands School’s bid to purchase Monford Place back in 2021, Council is now reconsidering the fate of the 791-square-metre cul-de-sac.

On Monday night, councillors voted to move forward with the closure and sale of the street, with Deputy MaryAnn Beregi moving to ignore the Redlands School’s existing offer, and instead require that Monford Place be sold for “no less than the independent valuation price”. What that price is remains confidential, the street already having already undergone a number of independent valuations.

The sale proceedings come after North Sydney Council’s five-year renovation of North Sydney Olympic Pool. Originally forecast to cost just $48 million, the restoration ultimately blew out to a whopping $122 million. Now, locals are concerned that North Sydney Council is compensating with a cash grab that could greatly impact parking and traffic conditions around the street, which is just off Military Road.

Local cleaning business owner Lais Ferraz told Sydney Morning Herald that she parked in the street every day, and that it was useful to her staff as well. 

“It’s terrible. This area is super busy with the commercial side, with restaurants and everything. For the council, it’s money for them. But for the people running a business, living here, it’s not good.”

While the street is surrounded by school property, its closure would amount to the loss of 18 public parking spaces, 10 of which are unrestricted. For many, these parking spaces are crucial for accessing the surrounding restaurant shopping district, particularly considering the adjoining Military Road is a clearway on weekdays from 3 pm.