We have prepared a comprehensive land use and infrastructure package for St Leonards and Crows Nest to guide future development and infrastructure decisions in the area to 2036.
The St Leonards and Crows Nest planning package was finalised on 29 August 2020.
The package lays the groundwork for the future development of St Leonards and Crows Nest. It includes:
- St Leonards and Crows Nest - Planning Package
- a supporting s9.1 Direction to guide future changes to the area’s land use controls
- rezoning of the Crows Nest Sydney Metro Station sites
- a Special Infrastructure Contribution (SIC) scheme, and
- a Green Plan and Local Character Statement which informed the 2036 Plan.
The 2036 Plan leverages the existing public transport infrastructure and the future Crows Nest Metro Station to support the growing St Leonards and Crows Nest community with the provision of new infrastructure, open spaces, upgraded cycle lanes and planning for health and education.
The plan will deliver 6,680 new homes, planning capacity for an extra 119,979 sqm employment floor space and 16,500 new jobs in health, education, professional services and the knowledge sector.
A Special Infrastructure Contribution (SIC) will help fund infrastructure in the area.
The 2036 Plan including technical studies and the Special Infrastructure Contribution Plan for St Leonards and Crows Nest were on exhibition from late 2018 to early 2019. We published the community’s feedback on the 2036 Plan and the SIC.
We also prepared a Finalisation Report responding to submissions.
We worked closely with the community and key stakeholders to ensure their feedback was reflected in the final plan. You can find out what changes were made on the St Leonards & Crows Nest Planning Package (PDF, 1.4 MB).
Crows Nest Metro Station sites rezoning
On 29 August 2020, in response to community feedback we released the St Leonards and Crows Nest 2036 planning package.
As part of the 2036 Plan, we prepared a rezoning proposal for the Crows Nest Metro sites to amend the site’s planning controls in the North Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2013.
The rezoning will enable over station development at the Sydney Metro sites and bring 2,160 jobs and 140 new dwellings to the area.
In response to community feedback, we made the following changes to the rezoning proposal:
- A new design excellence requirement to ensure future buildings exhibit a high standard of urban, architectural and landscape design, and to protect nearby public spaces from overshadowing
- A 20% reduction in size of the building envelopes and reduction in the maximum permitted building heights
- More job opportunities through a revised floor space allocation. This will increase the number of ongoing commercial and retail jobs at the site from 900 (exhibited scheme) to 2,160 through an increased non-residential floor space control.
- Fewer new dwellings planned for the site, from 350 (exhibited) to less than 150
- Stronger solar access controls through the new design excellence clause to reduce overshadowing of Ernest Place and Willoughby Road.
Her Excellency the Governor approved the State Environmental Planning Policy Amendment (Crows Nest Metro Station) 2020 to rezone the site on 5 August 2020.
What happens next
The 2036 Plan is a strategic document to guide future rezoning proposals in the area and is supported by a section 9.1 Ministerial Direction.
North Sydney, Lane Cove and Willoughby councils will progress rezoning proposals through amendments to their respective Local Environmental Plans.
We will continue working closely with these councils as part of any future rezoning proposals to ensure they are consistent with the vision and actions of the 2036 Plan.