A new development in Sydney’s Vaucluse, billed as providing “prestige boutique scale” housing for seniors, has run into headwinds with local councillors and community groups calling it “overdevelopment”.
The four-storey building proposed for Old South Head Road, which would contain 37 luxury apartments and 55 basement parking spaces, is a project from OSHR At Vaucluse Holdings Pty Ltd; the apartments would include 25 three-bedroom and three one-bedroom units.
The Vaucluse-Diamond Bay Precinct community group, alongside both Liberal and Labor councillors, have expressed opposition to the project, saying there is little need for more seniors housing; that it would place additional burden on traffic, parking, and infrastructure; and that a “younger community” is needed in the area.
According to a spokesperson for the project quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald, there is not enough seniors housing in areas like Vaucluse, particularly for “empty-nesters looking to downsize”; the spokesperson did, however, admit that there were “very minor breaches” of maximum allowed building height in the proposed complex.
While the proposed site, currently home to seven residential properties, is zoned for medium-density housing, Liberal councillors have been looking to re-zone the Diamond Bay area to low-density residential.
