We moved to the north shore for the usual reason – schools. We hit the jackpot with our street and neighbours: street parties organised by a stalwart old-timer, sylvan surrounds, children slipping through fences to play, an active WhatsApp group with herb gardens on call. It was unexpected and beautiful.
But housing is now an official crisis . The NSW government wants to accelerate housing supply. The first stage has been gazetted and will increase density within 400 metres of certain railway stations in Greater Sydney.
Thirteen councils are currently affected. And Ku-ring-gai council, where I live, is in the middle of an almighty stoush. An artist’s impression of a proposed redevelopment in Turramurra, which Ku-ring-gai Council rejected in 2023.
My family’s home is within 400 metres of one of the four selected railway stations in the LGA. Developers are swarming, our streets face vast and unknown change, and our homes have become ground-zero as we prepare to become the front line of this stand-off. I wonder if our street could become a Legoland of apartments with museum-like heritage listings dwarfed in between.
Let me say up front: I am not opposed, per se, to the state government’s plan to increase density and to build homes around stations. Indeed, within most factions in this debate in Ku-ring-gai, there is agreement that the current housing situation is untenable and solutions are needed. Density near transport makes sense to most people, including me.
So the qu.
