The Toxteth Estate is shown in blue (Source: City of Sydney Council papers)

By Rodney Hammett and Brian Fuller, Heritage Subcommittee, from Bulletin 1/2026 (March)

“To retain the character of our neighbourhood, the Glebe Society needs to remain vigilant and to critically review every advertised development application (DA).”

In mid-June 2025 the City of Sydney advertised for public comment on proposed changes to several planning controls. In the context of Glebe and Forest Lodge, these mainly related to heritage issues. Responses had to be in by 17 July.

Brian Fuller and Rodney Hammett got to work and in the short time available managed to review all the proposed changes in Section 3.9 (Heritage) of the Sydney Developmental Control Plan 2012 (DCP 2012) and prepared a submission for the Glebe Society to send to Council. Our main concern was the quality and independence of the heritage impact statements accompanying development applications (DAs), but otherwise the changes were considered appropriate and supportive to maintaining strong heritage values in our neighbourhood.

Council also proposed to change the boundaries of the Hereford and Forest Lodge Heritage Conservation Area (C33). Brian prepared a response to that proposal arguing that there appeared to be insufficient justification for the boundary variation.

Nothing further was heard until the President received an email on 29 January 2026 stating that:

  • the outcomes and feedback were reported to Council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee in August 2025
  • Council approved the planning proposal at their meeting on 25 August and the Central Sydney Planning Committee at their meeting on 21 August
  • amendments to the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012 and Sydney Developmental Control Plan 2012 have been finalised, and
  • the amended planning controls came into effect on Friday 23 January 2026.

For details see https://meetings.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=6165

In summary, the outcomes affecting Glebe and Forest Lodge are:

  • A portion of Hereford and Forest Lodge Heritage Conservation Area (C33) will be removed and become part of Camperdown. The portion is bounded by Pyrmont Bridge Road, Cross Street, Foss Street and Orphan School Creek and is part of the redevelopment of the old Children’s Hospital. This portion will now not be in a heritage conservation area.
  • Section 3.9 (Heritage) of DCP 2012 has been amended and reissued. No changes to the 2025 Draft were implemented, following community feedback. Section 3.9 remains a solid document which enables the community to question or object to the heritage aspects of DA proposals.
  • The maximum height of small-scale buildings (defined by Council as attached [terrace houses], detached and semi-detached housing and traditional shops) in the R1 General Residential zone, R2 Low Density Residential zone, E1 Local Centre zone and MU1 Mixed Use zone is now:  the maximum height of the existing building on the land or 7.5m, whichever is greater; if there is no existing building on the site or if the height of the existing building is less than 3.6m, then the maximum height of building control is the height of the existing building on any adjoining site facing the same primary street or 7.5m, whichever is the highest; there is an exception that applies to small scale buildings in the Toxteth Estate (see Figure), which sets the maximum height of building control for lots within that area as the maximum height of the existing building on the land or 6m, whichever is greater.

This does not mean the community can be complacent about new DAs in our neighbourhood. To retain the character of our neighbourhood we need to remain vigilant and to critically review every advertised DA. The Heritage Subcommittee continues to review the DAs on the City website each week with respect to heritage matters.