Residents campaign against Montefiore retirement complex planned for St Ives

A community campaign has emerged in St Ives against plans by Jewish aged care provider Montefiore to build a large retirement living complex behind Masada College, with residents warning that the proposed nine-storey buildings would be out of scale with the surrounding neighbourhood.

Montefiore has lodged a State Significant Development application with the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for a seniors’ living campus on surplus land at the Masada College site on Link Road.

Planning documents outline a development comprising 143 independent living apartments and a 52-bed residential aged care facility, along with shared amenities including a pool, gym and cinema. The proposal includes two nine-storey buildings and two five-storey buildings with basement parking.

The project would be built on about 1.5 hectares of land currently used as a former school oval. Montefiore has an agreement with Masada College to purchase the site if the project receives planning approval, with funds from the sale earmarked for improvements to the school’s facilities.

The proposal has prompted a campaign by some local residents who say the scale of the development is inconsistent with the character of the suburb.

Flyers circulating through social media and letterbox drops urge residents to oppose what campaigners describe as over-development in St Ives and link to a petition calling for the project to be stopped or significantly reduced in size.

Opponents say the nine-storey towers would set a precedent for high-rise buildings in an area largely characterised by low-rise housing. Residents have also raised concerns about traffic congestion, parking pressure and the loss of a large, open green space.

In a social media post shared by campaigners, resident Christiane Berlioz wrote that the proposal would introduce a building scale not previously seen in the suburb.

“The nine-storey buildings will set a precedent in St Ives,” she wrote.

Montefiore chief executive Robert Orie said the project was designed to respond to growing demand for retirement living in the area.

He said while St Ives and surrounding suburbs had a number of nursing homes, there were limited options for high-quality independent retirement accommodation similar to the organisation’s developments in other parts of Sydney.

According to Orie, the tallest buildings have been positioned toward the centre of the site so they would not overshadow neighbouring homes or be clearly visible from surrounding streets.

“We were very sensitive to that when we were doing the design,” he said.

“The site has no height restrictions on it. It’s a Special Purpose zoning.”

Montefiore has also sought to engage with local residents as the project has progressed. The organisation has held community consultation sessions, launched an online survey and organised an information webinar to outline the proposal and respond to questions.

An environmental impact statement is currently being prepared and will be released for public comment later this year as part of the state planning assessment process.

Montefiore, founded more than 135 years ago, operates seniors’ living and aged care campuses across Sydney, including in Hunters Hill and Randwick, and describes itself as a not-for-profit organisation founded on Jewish values that serves a broad community of residents.

Montefiore and Masada have been approached for comment.