SSD-82709458 at 19-25 Balfour Street Lindfield will further destroy a critically endangered remnant Turpentine and Blue Gum High Forest and its associated fauna.  This remnant forest lies within the Balfour Street/ Highfield Road Conservation Area (HCA). In late 2024, mature trees were illegally removed from the combined properties, and suspected poisoning of trees also occurred on the site. These unlawful activities were reported by neighbours to Ku-ring-gai Council. The affected trees included two Eucalyptus Saligna (Sydney Blue Gums), an Angophora Costata, two Syncarpia Glomulifera (Turpentine trees), all of which were mature native tree species. These activities have significantly damaged the wildlife corridor along the shared boundary. This is only the beginning of the irreversible damage that could occur if this development proceeds.

The location in question is a State Significant Development (SSD) in a Heritage Conservation Area, home to critically-endangered, remnant Turpentine and Blue Gum High Forest and its associated fauna. Turpentine and Blue Gum High Forests are now limited to small patches, having once covered expansive areas. They have been classified as critically endangered under both national and state environmental laws. This rare ecosystem provides crucial habitat for a variety of endangered wildlife species, and its destruction would result in devastating ecological consequences. These forests are an essential component of our natural heritage, contributing to biodiversity, air quality, and climate regulation. Allowing development in such a sensitive and significant location ignores our responsibility to preserve these precious environments for future generations.

The HCA is in a small precinct that includes a major Coles supermarket with shop top apartments, Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Holy Family Catholic Church, Highfield’s Preparatory and Kindergarten School, and an electricity sub-station.  Surrounding streets are used as a daily thoroughfare from Macquarie Park to Chatswood and are mostly full of parked cars.  These streets are very narrow and strain to allow passing cars.  Traffic congestion and parking issues are already at unsustainable levels, and create a constant safety issue for very young school children during school drop-off and collection times.  Taking into account other developments in the area, this precinct cannot support further high-rise dwellings.

To halt this impending disaster, we urge the Ministry for Planning and Environment to reject this SSD, and uphold the environmental integrity of the HCA by disallowing any high-rise development within it. Alternative development sites that do not threaten critical habitats must be explored. Rigorous enforcement of environmental laws is needed to severely punish developers for destroying trees and prevent future destruction. Developers must not benefit from criminal activity.