Notre Dame University Misleads Community Over Its Expansion

Pioneer House - DA currently on exhibition

Worried about the impact on local facilities, traffic and parking from the quantum and influx of university’s/colleges locally? 

If so, we urge you to make a short submission to Council ASAP about this particular Development Application.  Submissions are due to close on Monday, however we have been told will be accepted for another week. 

The purpose of this email is to alert you to the University of Notre Dame expansion plans locally - please note there are another two development applications for colleges from other institutions currently on exhibition (in Chippen and Regent Sts)  

In short, the DA for Pioneer House is another stage in the University’s plans to expand its operation in Chippendale. 

Our research indicates the University is planning a major expansion locally – potentially its facilities could well cater for more than 6,000 students (contrary to the figures provided in the DA). 

Unfortunately, in the absence of any genuine community consultation about the university’s longer term plans, we’ve had to resort to FOI enquiries to find out what’s going on. 

This research confirms that the University misled locals when it promised to keep its operations small.  FYI, student numbers presented by the University when it first opened (and was fighting to get its DA approved) indicated about 300 students.  After concerns about the accuracy of the data was raised at the time, these numbers were revised - to 860 students by Year 2010. 

Today we understand the University has more than 1,700 students, with the University recently expanding its operations to Grafton Street with capacity to cater for about 500 students (at any time).  We note these figures do not include future plans to redevelop this site. 

Now another DA has been lodged – this time for Pioneer House. These premises will cater for hundreds more students at any time (480 students + 90 staff).  Again these figures do not include future redevelopment or expansion plans.  

Through our FIO enquiries it appears that the University is likely to lodge another DA at a later date for the same site (once local planning controls are changed); adding more storeys to the top of this wonderful Art Deco and landmark building. 

We believe the University is likely to acquire other premises on Broadway and then expand through to Grafton Street as well as redevelop part of Blackfriars and St Benedicts site.  This is likely to include high rise student housing. 

Given this DA is closing soon, we urge you to email Council with a short email, outlining your concerns.   This should be sent to the planning officer - Alexander Scott - email - ascott@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au.   

You may also wish to cc your email to the Lord Mayor and Councillors – eg charris@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au, jmcinern@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au and cmoore@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au 

Points you may wish to include: 

• The lack of genuine community consultation about the University's longer term plans - A masterplan must be prepared now with proper community consultation BEFORE this DA or any further development is approved
• The size and scale of the changes and increased student numbers 
• Impact to local parking, infrastructure and open space - particularly when you consider the constraints on local infrastructure already 
• Operating hours 
• Cumulative impact from the number of educational facilities in close proximity to what is effectively a quiet residential area (please note the area is not zoned as residential - rather mixed use) 
• The changes and impact to the neighhourhood that has already occurred in the area since the university started – you may wish to give examples of what has occurred in your street 
• The longer term social and demographical impact 
• NDU should not get any relief from developer contributions that are usually paid and intended to offset the impact from the development on Chippendale – payment must be made and should be for upgrades in Chippendale (not on the NDU site) 

Whilst the State Government has earmarked Chippendale as an “educational hub” (under its recently exhibited regional environmental plan), we believe all future development has to be carefully considered in terms of its social and environmental impact to the existing community.   

In particular, the size and scale and cumulative impact is important – particularly the impact on local infrastructure - traffic, open space, parking, changing demographics and overshadowing (from new high rise buildings).   

Given our community also faces the impact from the former CUB redevelopment as well as the UTS’s major expansion plans, the cumulative impact from this DA and others that are in the pipeline will be significant.    

Whilst Sydney University is approaching its expansion plans in Darlington through a sensitive and inclusive community consultation process, clearly Notre Dame University is not. 

This is particularly disappointing and contrary to undertakings recently made by the University to Council, when Council recently considered the Grafton Street DA.   As a consequence of concerns expressed about that particular DA, NDU was required to develop/make available its Masterplan, in consultation with the community.  Whilst a “community meeting” was organised by NDU, few locals knew about it - unfortunately correspondence sent to us was not received in time, so we were unable to let you know about it, nor able to attend. 

Subsequently, we asked the University to make available its Masterplan and information from the “community” meeting - so this could be circulated to the wider community as well as have discussions with the university.  This was refused, with advices that we would need to wait until the next DA was lodged to find out what is happening.  This provoked us in resorting to the FOI, to see what information we could find through Council's archives. 

The University has now lodged the DA for Pioneer House. As part of the DA documentation, information has been included about the university’s plans. Given our research through FOI, we believe our findings are likely to more accurately reflect the university’s longer term plans. 

Disturbingly, we note one of the University’s key Consultants in their report supporting the DA - note little interest from the community despite the obvious community concerns expressed in relation to the Grafton Street DA and the concerns that been consistently raised since the NDU first commenced its operations.   

In short, from the documents we sighted through the FOI, shows the University wants to substantially expand its operations and is likely to introduce high rise development on a number of sites in Chippendale (it looks likely that the University will acquire a number of sites). 

The documents confirm the University is pushing for substantive changes to the local planning controls, to allow high rise redevelopment: 

• Up to 8 storey high rise development on Broadway with an FSR of 7:1
• Potentially up to 22 metre development along Grafton Street - directly opposite low rise residential apartments
• Development on the St Benedicts site as well as Blackfriars 

The plans appear to indicate that the University will potentially take over part (or all?) of the UTS’s Blackfriars site - and look set to expand its operations through high rise redevelopment from Abercrombie to Shepherd Street through to Grafton Street.

The correspondence confirms the University has acquired the “car wash” site on Broadway (previously owned by Council), and is looking for Council to allow 8 storey development (24 metres plus potentially another 8 metres) on this site. 

Importantly, the University of Technology (UTS) also has major expansion plans underway.  These are currently on exhibition for community feedback, with plans on display to the 16 February  (from 10am to 8pm  weekdays and to 4pm on weekends).  A drop in session (where you can ask questions) is on – Saturday 7 February from Noon to 2pm. 

The UTS plans confirm NDU’s will take over (some/all?) of the Blackfriars site, which the UTS currently holds and is a wonderful low rise heritage precinct.   From the information we’ve found it looks likely that development is also intended for the St Benedicts site as well.  

We are writing to the Lord Mayor and City’s CEO to raise concerns about the process to date and what appears to be the University’s lack of willingness to engage in genuine community consultation (or give due consideration to community concerns).   

We will be asking Council to assist us in getting the University to come to the table and take on board community feedback.  We will also be asking Council to ensure that the NDU does not get any “relief” in terms of developer contributions that are usually paid. 

We are also asking Council to extend the exhibition period, to allow the community to be properly informed about University’s longer term plans, before making a submission.

If you have any feedback or any further information about this particular DA - please let us know.