30 January 2026 – The Walter Burley Griffin Society has called on the NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully to withdraw the granted SSD 90134958 for an 11 storey proposal at 100 Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag.

This SSD has so many red flags that the Society believes it must have been granted in error.

The WBGS Pre-Application Submission with 19 petitions prepared on behalf of the Walter Burley Griffin Society by planning consultants Desim Pty Ltd has been sent to the Minister’s office on 30 January 2026. It identifies a long list of issues:
• The NSW Government’s Draft Sydney Plan does not identify Castlecrag as a planned housing growth area.
• The site is far away from the train and metro lines and is thus not in the NSW Transport-Oriented Development Program.
• The site is not affected the NSW’s Low Mid-Rise Housing Policy.
• If proceeded with it would create a precedent to build in any remote suburban set of shops.
• The granting of the SSD did not factor in that the Griffin Heritage Conservation Area (Griffin HCA) is like no other in Sydney and is of international renown.
• Willoughby City Council’s Local Strategic Planning Statement emphasizes the importance of preserving Griffin’s design philosophy.
• If this 11 storey were to proceed, it would cause irreversible harm to the unique planning and heritage of the Griffin HCA.
• The preliminary design, scale and massing of the SSD does not implement any of the NSW Government Architect’s policies (e.g. Better Placed policy, Design Guide for Heritage, Implementing Good Design or Connecting with Country).
• The site already has an approved DA (DA-2024/13), a mixed-use plan of shops and 38 apartments approved by the Sydney North Planning Panel in December 2024, which demonstrates that housing delivery can be achieved without compromising heritage values.

Many eminent professionals from Australia and overseas have signed a petition Statement supporting the submission by the Walter Burley Griffin Society objecting to this SSD-90134958 for two 11 storey high towers at the gateway to Griffin’s planned suburb at Castlecrag that would ruin the Griffin Heritage Conservation Area. They support the site being redeveloped according to the already approved application (DA-2024/13) which has true design excellence and provides 3 storey shop-top housing with 38 apartments

One of the signatories is Professor Anthony Burke, the presenter of the popular ABC TV series, “Grand Designs Australia” and “Restoration Australia”, who states “The Griffin Heritage Conservation Area is of truly of international significance, not only for its direct connection to the planning of our own capital Canberra, but as a leading sub-urban design precedent integrating nature and community in a way that continues to inspire designers and planners from all over the world.
“The possibilities of living elegantly with the Australian bush that were imagined by the Griffins here is something we continue to strive to emulate today and should be protected and respected for its enormous culture value.”

The Society’s President Michael Thomson respectfully calls on the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces to reduce the dwelling yield, bulk and scale of development to that of the already approved development application (DA-2024/13). This would be the only way to avoid causing irreversible harm to the Griffin Heritage Conservation Area of NSW and its national significance”.

If you would like further information please contact secretary@griffinsociety.org

It is not too late to object to this proposal. Please lodge your objection with the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully and ask (in your own words) for a reduction in the dwelling yield, bulk and scale of development to that of the already approved development. https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/ministers/minister-for-planning-and-public-spaces