Kensington residents furious after plans were unveiled for high-rise student accommodation

UNSW have controversially unveiled plans for high-rise student accommodation at the car park next to NIDA. The top Sydney university alongside prominent developer Iglu, are proposing the construction of five buildings at the site to help house more than 1000 students.

It comes am ongst Australia’s cost of living crisis, where students have been left with limited options for affordable housing. The UNSW Education Collective said that the proposal is “out of reach”, at an estimated $650 a week, for students working parttime or on student allowances.

Local Kensington residents are also aggrieved at the lack of community consultation.

The Kensington Residents Group against DA/168/2023 Iglu UNSW development have created a petition calling for the development to be “rejected and height lowered to an appropriate height”.

The Residents Group states that the proposed buildings are “disproportionately tall”. In their application, UNSW and Iglu have proposed two high-rise towers of more than 23 storeys or 76 metres tall, despite the current allowable height of nine storeys.

The Residents Group are concerned that the proposed development will “dwarf” existing buildings and will be an “obtrusive visual bulk” reducing the “local character of the neighbourhood”.

Neighbouring educationa institution, NIDA, is also “strongly opposed” to the application in its current form.

In a letter to residents, NIDA stated that they are “not against responsible and reasonable development” but are concerned with construction noise, vibration and dust, increased traffic, loss of sunlight, overshadowing and a lack of privacy. Both parties are calling for “proper and adequate community consultation” to ensure a “well-sited, appropriate and sympathetic building is to be approved”.

Residents are also co ncerned it will “set a dangerous precedent for out of scale development in the future” after Randwick Council voted to increase the maximum building site for the neighbouring South Juniors in Kingsford just last year.

The application is still under assessment with Randwick Council, and has been referred to the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel. Residents opposed to the development are urged to contact Randwick Council, or local member Ron Hoenig.

Hannah McKinney