The Fight to Classify 14 Gay Street Lane Cove North as Lane Cove Bushland

Lane Cove Council purchased 14 Gay Street Lane Cove North, a 2,801 square meter block, to bolster its bushland portfolio.  The block was purchased as part of the Council’s Bushland Expansion Program and connects to the existing Stringybark Creek Reserve.  The property was purchased for $3,333,000 plus acquisition costs.

The property includes mature trees, such as Sydney Blue Gums, Sydney Red Gums, Blackbutts, and Turpentines.

The property backs onto the Harry Howard bushwalk area – read our article here.

At the time of purchase, the land was located in a residential zone with an Environmental Protection Layer.

Lane Cove Council Discussions

Lane Cove Council hired consultants to prepare some options regarding the land. The issue is whether the whole land should be classified as bushland or only some of it should be classified as bushland so that the council can recoup some of its acquisition costs.

Lane Cove Council has put the following options out for public comment:

• Subdivide the block and construct a best-practice sustainable home that can be used as a demonstration home before ultimately being sold to recoup part of the land acquisition costs
• Subdivide block and build two ‘micro houses’ (dual occupancy) that can be permanently used for affordable housing
• Dedicate the entire site to Bushland. i.e. rezone entire site to C2.

Lane Cove North Residents Association

The Lane Cove North Residents Association (LCNRA) has published a 24-page document outlining why it believes this land should be bushland. You can read the document here.

In their executive summary, the LCNRA notes:

“No other bushland in Lane Cove has the combination of environmental and geological
features present at this site. Relatively undisturbed for more than 100 years, 14 Gay
Street provides a window into LCC’s natural environment with invaluable educational
and environmental heritage potential. Home to three of LCC’s six endangered ecological
communities, the site is a wildlife corridor, with endangered species like the Powerful Owl
and the Grey Headed Flying Fox visiting frequently and recent sightings of Boobook
Owls and an Echidna.

Ninety percent of respondents to the initial community consultation wish to retain the entire site as bushland with a community land classification. It offers a unique legacy of educational and community value to the liveability of Lane Cove at a time when population density is continuing to increase.”

The LCNRA has also addressed why it thinks the land is unsuitable for affordable housing.

 

Have Your Say

You can provide your feedback by taking the survey here or you can lodge a written submission to Council by quoting SU9252 by:

Background

In 2017 14 Gay Street was sold for the first time in 99 years.  Read our story here.

The new owner lodged a DA to build 7 townhouses with parking, driveway areas, landscaping and infrastructure works with the potential removal of 134 trees.

Lane Cove Council refused this DA due to major concerns, including significant environmental impacts.

The property was sold again in 2018, and the new owner lodged an amendment to the original concept, proposing the removal of 86 trees instead of 134.

The amended application DA was again refused due to development non-compliance concerns about the unacceptable impacts to the endangered ecological communities on-site and the detrimental impact the proposal would have on the bushland onsite.

It was after this DA was refused, that Lane Cove Council made the decision to buy the property.