Local Summer Hill residents have requested more information about a development application for 55-63 Smith Street, Summer Hill.
What is the history of this development?
The original proposal was for a boarding house containing 104 rooms with a single manager room and a basement car park.
The application was lodged on 26 November 2020 and exhibited from 15 December 2020 to 19 January 2021. Following the feedback from residents Council officers extended the notification area and notified residents and the exhibition period was open from 5 January to 11 February 2021.
Council officers then conducted an initial assessment of the application including considerations of submissions from the community. Council officers advised the applicant that the application was not supported and requested the application be amended to address the following issues:
- Compatibility with the character of the area
- Visual separation from the boarding rooms and neighbours
- Insufficient communal living rooms and manager rooms
- Setbacks
- Insufficient information to assess overshadowing
- Flood planning
- Water sensitivity urban design
- Site contamination
- Issues with the acoustic report
- Issues with the plan of management
- Insufficient information to assess impact on street trees
- Issues with the proposed waste management arrangements
What is happening now?
The applicant submitted amended plans on 20 April 2021. The amended plans propose:
- To demolish all existing structures
- To build a new boarding house containing four buildings in the architectural style of attached dwellings. The proposed boarding house includes:
- 97 boarding rooms (inclusive of 13 double rooms, 81 single rooms, two manager rooms, one caretaker unit,
- four common rooms, a reception area
- basement containing 54 parking spaces including 7 accessible spaces, 18 bike spaces, 20 motorcycle spaces
- a recycling room for 35 bins, a garbage room for 35 bins, bulky waste room and
- screening from adjoining properties and between the boarding rooms
- Remedial action plan to decontaminate the site from the formal industrial uses
- Address the flood planning issues
- Updated the plan of management, acoustic and arborist reports
Have your say
The application is now open for the community to comment. To view the amended plans and to provide feedback go to Inner West Council development application tracker
How to locate the application in the tracker?
- Select Track a DA via online self-service
- Select Enter as a guest
- Select Application Tracking
- In the search field enter the application number DA/2020/1022
Last day to provide feedback is 28 June 2021
What happens next?
Following the public exhibition of this proposal, Council Officers will prepare a report. The report will be considered by the Inner West Local Planning Panel (IWLPP) in the near future. All those who provide feedback on the amended plans will be notified. The Panel meets second Tuesday of each month.
What is a Inner West Local Planning Panel (IWLPP)?
Check out the FAQ section to find out more about the IWLPP.
