School community, church congregation hit out over residential plans for Wahroonga Estate

Jake McCallum, Hornsby Advocate

August 29, 2018 2:39pm

AN ONGOING campaign to stop several apartment buildings from being constructed around Wahroonga Adventist School has seen a rising force of support.

Australasian Conference Association, the parent company of Wahroonga Adventist School and The Sydney Adventist Hospital, submitted revised plans for five six-storey towers including 200 units at the Fox Valley Rd Wahroonga Estate precinct in May this year.

Hundreds of objections were raised by residents, parents from Wahroonga Adventist School and the Fox Valley Region Action Group in recent submissions to the NSW Planning Department regarding the modified plans.

Artist impressions for the Adventist Group's Wahroonga Estate development

The objections were lodged alongside submissions from Ku-ring-gai Council that highlight concerns around building length, footprint, setbacks and bushfire protection.

Wahroonga resident and spokeswoman for the campaign against the development, Carli Jeffery said there was a lack of consultation from the developer to the wider community.

“The reputation of the Australasian Conference Association has been ruined,” she said.

“We will continue to fight them until the end — we are not going to give up.”

Ms Jeffery raised concerns about the developer’s response to residents concerns, calling for the developers “to man up and address the concerns of the community”.

Artist impressions for the Adventist Group's Wahroonga Estate development

Fox Valley Community Adventist Church member Russell Fehlberg said church members support the campaign against the masterplanned proposal.

“The church hierarchy have done the wrong thing by keeping the wider community in the dark,” Mr Fehlberg said. “They have not been telling people all of the information we needed to understand the proposal and it is now at a stage where we cannot do anything about it.

“I don’t even trust my own church.”

Mr Fehlberg, who has been a member of the church for all of his life, said he feared for the wellbeing of his grandchildren, who attend the Wahroonga Adventist School.

“Everyone I have spoken to from the church community are unified against this proposal,” he said.

The Advocate understands church members will come together this week to vote as a congregation on their position on the development.

Carli Jeffrey and with John Farrar from (FRAG) with Residents who are furious after a development application was lodged by the San Hospital's parent company for high-rise development wrapping around the Sydney Adventist School on Fox Valley Rd, Wahroonga. Wednesday 2nd May 2017 ( AAP image/ Mark Scott )

“The hierarchy of the church are trying to stop people from attending meetings where there will be a formal vote of members to oppose the development,” Mr Fehlberg said.

A spokeswoman for the Australasian Conference Association and builders, Capital Bluestone, said the applicant was working with residents to address concerns.

“There is a meeting with the school and parents this week to outline an amended approach on the composition and delivery program for the residential community,” she said.

“Through in-depth collaborative work with the school, parents and our expert consultants, we have been able to make some very significant and real changes that we believe represent a true and positive compromise to reach a better outcome for everyone.”

Several modifications were made to the plans in recent weeks, including an change to parking, heights and the building envelope.

It is expected the NSW Planning Department will complete its determination of the modifications later this year, which could lead to a development application.

Hornsby Advocate 10th of May 2018

Parents concerned for child safety amid development controversy

Jake McCallum, Hornsby Advocate

May 10, 2018 12:00am

PARENTS of students at Wahroonga Adventist School were left shocked when cranes delivered a sales display suite to an adjoining carpark — while students were walking to school last week.

The development application for the display suite has yet to be approved by Ku-ring-gai Council, sparking concerns from Wahroonga residents and a local town planner around unauthorised work commencing at the site.

An artist’s impression of the Wahroonga Estate residential precinct plans.

“There is a possibility that, as the display suites have been delivered to the site prior to the DA being approved, the developer may have commenced unauthorised works,” the town planner said.

“Several parents in the school community have planning or development experience and have suggested that the school community ask council to check whether this is a compliance issue and whether it will affect the validity of the DA.”

Capital Bluestone managing director Ben Fairfax said the suite was stored on the site with permission of the land owner.

The residential precinct will wrap around the Wahroonga Adventist School

“As part of the development agreement for the residential neighbourhood at the Wahroonga

Estate, SDA had previously agreed to allow the pods to be stored — not installed or activated — while the DA for the display suite is going through the approval process,” Mr Fairfax said.

“This was all agreed with SDA and communicated to the School that this was happening

“There were a number of misunderstandings around the timing for this work, for which the Church has apologised to the school and the parents.”

Mr Fairfax said the school hosted a meeting with parents last week.

“We’re very conscious of the passion the parents have for their children and they only want to ensure their wellbeing and that this development — or any development — will not detract from their everyday school life,” he said.

“The Church is already working to address the points raised during the meeting with the parents and plan to report to them within the next few weeks.”

SOS Wahroonga

School community, church congregation hit out over residential plans for Wahroonga Estate

Parents concerned for child safety amid development controversy