Following many months of deliberation, the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) North District Commissioner, Dr Debra Dearing, and council staff have released for public comment, the Draft Ku-ring-gai Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS).

Ultimately, the LSPS will help guide future changes to Ku-ring-gai’s planning controls – the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and Development Control Plan (DCP).

We urge all residents to read the Draft LSPS and to make a submission before the August 12 deadline.  FOKE has provided some submission points for you to consider, attached here.

Overall, the LSPS espouses all the correct statements about protecting the environment, Ku-ring-gai’s biodiversity, character and heritage. However this is overshadowed by the high numbers of new dwellings to be required in our area. The plan acknowledges we have already met our North District plan targets for 2021. Many areas already planned for development have also not been included to meet our future dwelling targets. FOKE had consistently lobbied for no changes to the current LEP zoning until those areas already planned or designated for medium and high density in our town centres are taken up.

Specifically concerning are the ‘Principles for Housing’ which now plans to locate high density housing within an 800 metre radius from our town centres. In our current LEPs high density is essentially restricted to town centres. In NSW high density has meant High Rise!

This change will have a dramatic impact on our heritage areas, usually with close proximity to town centres. The LSPS then adds a section of medium density, plus 400 metres around neighbourhood centres. This will continue to dramatically alter the heritage character and tall tree environment of Ku-ring-gai! The plan put forward in the draft is ecologically damaging and unsustainable.

The essence of the document is a foundation for the Housing, Open Space, Heritage, Sport, Recreation, Social, Cultural, Employment and Sustainability plans that will be produced by Council and Exhibited for comment.

This draft planning statement is important as it will establish the planning principles in Ku-ring-gai for the next 20 years! 

ACT NOW: For more information and to make a submission see:kmc.nsw.gov.au/Have_my_say_public_exhibitions/Ku-ring-gai_Local_Strategic_Planning_Statement_LSPS