Have Your Say – St Francis Xavier SSD Submission
If you would like to support the parish’s State Significant Development application for the SFX development, you might like to adapt and use the template below as a guide:
Head here by Midnight on the 24th September
Submission in Support – SSD-88702457 St Francis Xavier Parish Renewal, Lavender Bay
Dear Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure,
I am a ………………………………..(parishioner/resident) of Lavender Bay/McMahons Point/North Sydney/insert suburb] and am writing to express my support for the State Significant Development Application for the renewal of the St Francis Xavier Parish site at Mackenzie Street, Lavender Bay.
As someone who lives locally, I believe the proposal represents a positive opportunity to renew an important but currently underutilised site while delivering broader benefits for the local community.
[Parishioners & residents should select and personalise the points below that are most relevant to them.]
Renewal of an important local site
I support the sensitive renewal of the St Francis Xavier site. The proposal provides an opportunity to give the precinct a sustainable long-term future while retaining St Francis Xavier Church and recognising the heritage and history of the site.
More housing in an appropriate location
I support the delivery of new homes in highly accessible locations, particularly close to North Sydney Station, major employment areas, shops and essential services. Concentrating growth in places with excellent public transport access. Within this context, the inclusion of affordable housing is especially important. Housing affordability is a significant challenge across Sydney, including the Lower North Shore, and providing affordable homes in a well‑connected location delivers a clear community benefit.
Improved public spaces
I support the creation of an improved landscaped setting around St Francis Xavier Church. Opening up the precinct and creating attractive spaces around the Church will make this part of Lavender Bay more welcoming and accessible to the wider community.
Better pedestrian connections
The proposed improvements to pedestrian connections through the site and towards North Sydney Station are also supported. Better walking connections between Lavender Bay and the North Sydney centre will benefit attendees to the church, Lavender Bay residents as well as future residents of the development.
Heritage and community life
St Francis Xavier Church is an important part of the history and character of Lavender Bay. I welcome a proposal that retains the Church and allows it to remain a visible and active part of the community and a development that will allow it to be maintained for the next 100+ years.
I appreciate that a development of this scale requires careful assessment, particularly in relation to matters such as building design, traffic, construction impacts, heritage and residential amenity. These matters should be appropriately managed through the Department’s assessment and conditions of consent.
However, taking the proposal as a whole, I believe the renewal offers substantial benefits for Lavender Bay and the wider North Sydney community. It combines new housing and affordable housing with heritage conservation, improved public spaces and better pedestrian connectivity in a highly accessible location.
For these reasons, I support SSD-88702457 and encourage the Department to approve the proposal.
Yours sincerely,
[Name]
[Suburb]
[Optional: how long you have worshipped/lived/worked in the local area]