A $118.6 million infill affordable housing development in Gordon has received conditional approval from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, under State Significant Development provisions. The project was determined by the Deputy Secretary, Development Assessments and Sustainability.
CPDM Pty Ltd will deliver 100 apartments—69 market and 31 affordable—at 3–9 Park Avenue, Gordon. The project includes two nine-storey buildings above two basement levels. It provides 109 residential car spaces, 17 visitor spaces, 2 car share spaces, and 100 bicycle spaces. Communal open space will total 1,125.7m².
Echo Realty will manage 26 affordable dwellings for at least 15 years. Five will be dedicated in perpetuity. A boundary adjustment with 2 Park Lane prevents site isolation and enables future redevelopment. The development will create 194 construction jobs and is expected to be complete by late 2027.
Strategic and Policy Context
The Department states the project aligns with the National Housing Accord and NSW Government targets to deliver 377,000 new dwellings by 2029. Ku-ring-gai LGA must accommodate 7,600 of these new homes. The site qualifies as a Transport Oriented Development (TOD) area under the Housing SEPP, allowing additional height and density when affordable housing is included.
TOD controls for this site allow a base FSR of 2.5:1 and height of 22m. The applicant used Housing SEPP bonuses to increase FSR to 3.25:1 and height to 28.6m. Although local planning controls changed recently, the project retained these ‘saved’ controls due to its lodgement timing.
Design and Architectural Intent
PTW Architects designed two separate buildings to respond to the sloping site and reduce visual bulk. Indented facades and stepped forms help break up massing. A two-storey podium faces Park Avenue, and a four-storey podium fronts Park Lane.
The buildings include 6m setbacks to Park Avenue and Park Lane, with a 10.3m setback to the heritage-listed dwelling at 11 Park Avenue. Setbacks on the western boundary range from 9.2m to 12m above podium height. These design choices preserve the area’s garden character and manage the transition to higher density.
The material palette includes darker tones at the base and lighter, warmer tones above. The Department imposed conditions to refine materials and reduce reflectivity. Affordable apartments are integrated throughout both buildings and share access to all communal facilities.
Landscaping features a central courtyard, a community garden, and passive recreation areas. Pedestrian connections link Park Avenue and Park Lane. Deep soil zones and screening vegetation provide additional privacy and enhance amenity, especially near heritage boundaries.
Community and Stakeholder Response
During public exhibition, the Department received 130 submissions—120 objections and 10 in support. Common concerns included traffic and parking (80%), height and bulk (70%), character impacts (67%), heritage issues (59%), tree removal and landscaping (54%), and overshadowing (23%).
Ku-ring-gai Council made a submission objecting to the proposal, citing excessive height, insufficient setbacks, lack of deep soil, and heritage impacts. Council also requested more affordable dwellings in perpetuity and additional contributions to social infrastructure.
Transport for NSW and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water did not object. They recommended standard conditions.
Impacts and Assessment Findings
The Department assessed the project as compliant with strategic planning intentions. Its FSR of 3:1 is below the permitted 3.25:1. Height variations were limited to rooftop services and lift overruns. These were considered minor and not visible from the street.
The design aligns with the area’s transition to higher density. Most setbacks and building separations exceed Apartment Design Guide requirements. Generous setbacks and podium design help mitigate heritage impacts. The Department found no adverse effect on the significance of nearby heritage items or the Gordondale Heritage Conservation Area.
Overshadowing effects were acceptable. The traffic impact was minor. A Green Travel Plan will support alternative transport. The Department supported the boundary adjustment to ensure future orderly development.
Determination Outcome and Conditions
The Deputy Secretary approved the project under delegation from the Minister. The decision considered strategic alignment, acceptable built form, and public benefits through affordable housing.
Key conditions require the applicant to:
- Use warmer brick tones on upper levels
- Follow approved materials and finishes
- Minimise building reflectivity
- Implement the Green Travel Plan
- Complete boundary adjustment and lot consolidation before occupation
The Department concluded that, on balance, the public benefits outweighed the remaining impacts, which were addressed through design revisions and consent conditions.
Statutory Pathway and Next Steps
This project proceeded as a State Significant Development. The Deputy Secretary made the determination. The assessment material does not detail any modification or appeal pathways. The applicant must complete all boundary and lot adjustments before issuing an occupation certificate. All conditions must be met before construction and use.
For more information, search the application number SSD-78775458 on the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s website.
Project Team
- Developer: CPDM Pty Ltd
- Planning Consultant: Urbis Ltd
- Community Housing Provider (CHP): Echo Realty Ltd
- Architect: PTW Architects
- Landscape Architect: Conzept Landscape Architects
- Heritage Consultant: Urbis (Heritage division)
- Traffic Consultant: Varga Traffic Planning Pty Ltd
- Acoustic Consultant: Acoustic Logic
- Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) Consultant: LCI Consultants
- Civil and Stormwater Engineer: HYDRACOR Consulting Engineers
- Geotechnical Consultant: EI Australia
- Aboriginal Heritage Consultant: AHMS Pty Ltd (for the Aboriginal Objects Due Diligence Assessment)
- Waste Consultant: Elephants Foot Recycling Solutions
- Accessibility Consultant: Morris Goding Access Consulting
- BCA Compliance Consultant: Vic Lilli & Partners
For more information, search the application number (SSD-78775458) on the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s website.
