Schools, roads in the spotlight amid talk of opening Sydney's Woollahra station
The Labor government is reportedly giving consideration to opening the 'ghost station' almost 50 years after work was halted and rezoning the area for housing towers.
While developers heralded the proposal, which the state government has not formally commented on, as a 'no-brainer', questions have been raised about its feasibility.
Woollahra is serviced by a single public school – Woollahra Public School – which has 701 children enrolled, according to the Department of Education.
Online documents provided by the school state the campus has a capacity of just 698 students, based on the number of permanent teacher spaces and class sizes.
An additional 1729 students are enrolled at nearby public schools, including Vaucluse Public School, which has just 232 students, according to most recent data.
Riverbank Public School, located in Sydney's northwestern growth area, by comparison has more than 2011 students enrolled from kindergarten to year 6.
Opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Mitchell accused the Minns Labor government of 'floating housing thought bubbles without doing the homework'.
'Even now, the community is crying out for another co-ed high school – not based on future growth but the population that already lives here,' she said.
'Any serious housing proposal must come with serious investment in school infrastructure.
'But once again, Chris Minns and his ministers are putting the cart before the horse – promising rooftops without classrooms.'
Mr Minns is yet to make an announcement about the future of Woollahra station but has not denied designs for the so-called ghost station either.
It comes at a crucial time for the Premier after the sale of Rosehill Racecourse to make way for 25,000 homes was shot down by the Australian Turf Club.
The Labor government is focusing on housing initiatives closer to the Sydney CBD and is spearheading measures to overrule recalcitrant Sydney small councils.
Mr Minns said new guidelines announced this month would allow the state government to 'surpass many councils' ability to say no' to new housing planning proposals.
Many of the councils the state government has its eyes set on are in Sydney's affluent southeast and north shore, areas with a reputation for opposing new housing projects.
Woollahra Deputy Mayor Sean Carmichael has been one of many vocal sceptics of the Woollahra train station revival proposal.
Mr Carmichael said the proposal was 'an interesting idea' but urged for a 'planning scalpel' to balance any potential density opportunities with heritage issues.
He said he had suggested opening ticket boxes and escalators to activate the station many years ago.
'I still personally wouldn't mind if that were the case, but expectations for what this stop can actually achieve really need serious tempering,' he said.
'Aside from density and heritage concerns I've already raised, opening Woollahra station won't help young commuters very much.
'Woollahra Public (School) parents will still mostly prefer to drive their children for safety and family time, so the advantage there is also very limited.
'It could also slow students down too, by adding greater complexity to the line, and drive up delays.
'The steep valley below, with awkward roads like Attunga St, really dent the viability of making Woollahra station anything more than a hokey stop on an otherwise incredibly efficient line.'
Mr Carmichael warned that 'flattening' mid-century and other architecturally historic homes in the area would not create affordable homes.
'Quite the opposite, as new luxury units bursting with creature comforts are inevitably more expensive than older ones that, for instance, don't have ducted heating or sound proofing,' he said.
In a statement, a Woollahra Municipal Council spokesperson said the council had not received 'confirmation or any detail from the NSW government regarding revisiting and/or developing a train station in Woollahra'.
'Woollahra Mayor Sarah Swan has indicated that she is willing to discuss this idea with the government within the context of ongoing concerns regarding the impacts the government's low and mid-rise (LMR) housing changes will have on Woollahra.
'The LMR changes ignore well-founded community concerns regarding existing density, increased traffic congestion, a lack of public infrastructure and the need to protect local heritage.
'Council is committed to supporting housing growth, but delivery of additional housing should respect the existing character of our community and take into account the unique challenges of each location.
'The changes override council's carefully-developed strategic plans for additional housing at appropriate locations, including nearby Edgecliff, which would not sacrifice high standards of planning integrity and community benefits.'
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