Northern Sydney
Ku-ring-gai Council
Ku-ring-gai Council decisions and meeting notes from public minutes. This page follows 26 recent meetings, including 19 with decisions or resident-facing discussion. 20 articles have been written from the source minutes. Recent records mention Roads, traffic and parking, Planning, development and housing, Turramurra, Marian Street Theatre.
- Meetings
- 26
- Substantive
- 19
- Articles
- 20
- Watch items
- 22
Latest
Killara theatre demolition hinges on $100,000 transfer by 12 August
Preparatory work at the Killara theatre can begin immediately, but internal demolition to preserve DA 0144/20 depends on $100,000 reaching council accounts by 12 August.
Preparatory works at Marian Street Theatre are to begin immediately.
Physical internal demolition works are conditional on $100,000 being available; the minutes say the community fund reports having raised enough to assist but do not confirm receipt by Council.
Future decisions on community facilities in Killara and performing-arts infrastructure in Gordon Ward will follow strategy, planning and grant processes.
No new rates levy or asset sale was adopted at this meeting; these were identified as possible future funding avenues.
Articles
Killara theatre demolition hinges on $100,000 transfer by 12 August
Preparatory work at the Killara theatre can begin immediately, but internal demolition to preserve DA 0144/20 depends on $100,000 reaching council accounts by 12 August.
Gordon Ward asset sales, St Ives levy flagged for future infrastructure funding
Gordon Ward asset sales and a post-loan rates levy for the St Ives basketball courts are among funding avenues Council will examine. Neither was approved at the 10 August meeting.
Marian Street Theatre demolition hinges on $100,000 by Wednesday
Preparatory work starts immediately, but internal demolition to preserve DA 0144/20 depends on $100,000 reaching council accounts by Wednesday 12 August.
Marian Street Theatre demolition hinges on $100,000 by 12 August
Preparatory work will start at Marian Street Theatre, but internal demolition to preserve DA 0144/20 depends on $100,000 reaching Ku-ring-gai Council by 12 August.
Gordon Ward performing-arts choices delayed until mid-2027 reports
Ku-ring-gai Council will compare at least three ways to fund and deliver performing-arts infrastructure in Gordon Ward after strategy and grant outcomes expected in mid-2027.
Killara community-space plans tied to 2026/27 strategy as theatre works face $100,000 condition
Killara’s future community facilities will be considered through a 2026/27 strategy update, while $100,000 must reach council accounts before internal demolition work can preserve Marian Street Theatre’s approval.
Norman Griffiths Oval upgrade stays under $12.4m resolution after rescission bid fails
The tied vote leaves the 18 May resolution in place, while proposed cost reviews, a $30,000 resident survey and further oval upgrades were not approved.
130 submissions considered before Killara flat-building proposal refused
The panel refused the 2 Killara Avenue application after considering 130 submissions, rejecting requests to vary building-height and other development standards.
Pymble six-townhouse plan refused over site-size rule
The unanimous refusal blocks six townhouses and basement parking at 14 Graham Avenue after the panel found the site failed a standalone planning control that could not be varied.
Ten submissions as Pymble six-townhouse plan is refused
Ten submissions were considered before Ku-ring-gai’s planning panel unanimously refused a six-townhouse proposal at 14 Graham Avenue, Pymble. One submission was recorded for a Wahroonga subdivision and none for another Pymble application.
Two-lot subdivision approved for 2 Westbrook Avenue, Wahroonga
The approval covers demolition and subdivision at 2 Westbrook Avenue, with the works required to start within five years of the Notice of Determination.
Ku-ring-gai Council backs AED rollout across facilities, lifts budget to $334,100
Ku-ring-gai Council has approved a publicly accessible AED program across council facilities and increased the capital project cost to $334,100 in 2026/27, with annual operating costs of $80,730.
Decisions
Marian Street Theatre preservation works approved conditionally
Council unanimously resolved to note potential State and Federal support opportunities, community fundraising claims, and interest in the Federal Thriving Suburbs Round 2 program; commence preparatory and site-establishment activities at Marian Street Theatre immediately; and condition physical internal demolition works on $100,000 being available to preserve DA 0144/20.
This is the meeting’s main operational decision and may determine whether the existing theatre approval remains usable.
Future Gordon Ward performing-arts options to be reported
Council will be presented with three or more options for funding and delivering Gordon Ward performing-arts infrastructure, such as Marian Street Theatre, Gordon Civic Hub, or both, after the relevant strategy and grant outcomes.
Residents will receive a later report comparing major infrastructure and funding choices.
Six-townhouse proposal refused in Pymble
Refused the proposal for six townhouses with basement parking at 14 Graham Avenue, Pymble, with the first refusal reason amended to address inadequate site dimensions under KLEP clause 6.6(2). The decision was unanimous.
The townhouse proposal cannot proceed under the determination and the panel found the relevant site-dimension control could not be varied.
Annual planning documents adopted with 24.6% SRV
Council adopted the revised Resourcing Strategy, Delivery Program and Operational Plan using a Special Rate Variation of 24.6%, with the Mayor’s casting vote breaking a 5-5 tie.
Will lift rate revenue and influence Council services, projects and fees from 1 July 2026.
Issues
Roads, traffic and parking
Six-townhouse proposal refused in Pymble
Planning, development and housing
St Ives Tavern development application refused
Budget, rates and governance
Associated project proposals lapsed
Projects and capital works
Future Gordon Ward performing-arts options to be reported
Funding and grants
Future Gordon Ward performing-arts options to be reported
Community services and facilities
St Ives Tavern development application refused
Topics
Marian Street Theatre development approval
Council unanimously adopted the amended motion concerning Marian Street Theatre and DA 0144/20.
Residents now have a clear council direction to preserve the existing development approval while longer-term facility options are assessed.
Conditional preservation works
Preparatory and site-establishment activities are to commence immediately. Physical internal demolition works required to preserve DA 0144/20 are conditional on $100,000 being available.
Works may begin at the theatre, but the minutes do not establish that the $100,000 has already been received by Council.
Killara community-space planning
Future decisions about community space in Killara will be considered through the Community and Cultural Facilities Strategy update commencing in 2026/27.
The strategy process will shape whether and how community facilities are provided in Killara.
Future infrastructure funding avenues
Future funding considerations may include asset sales in Gordon Ward and other funding avenues. Separate future consideration includes the St Ives basketball courts rates levy after the loan is fully paid.
Potential future funding measures could affect council assets, local charges or infrastructure priorities, but no new levy was adopted at this meeting.
Norman Griffiths Oval project cost and surface dispute
Councillors considered rescinding Minute 85 from the 18 May 2026 Extraordinary Meeting, which concerned the Norman Griffiths Oval project and its potentially increased cost.
The project could involve a substantial commitment of council funds and determine the future playing surface and use of the oval.
Further cost estimates and possible consultation
The proposed motion referred to updated independent cost comparisons by NSW Public Works for synthetic turf and best-practice natural turf, as well as estimates for upgrading two additional ovals. These proposals were not resolved at this meeting because the rescission motion failed.
Residents do not have a new council decision from this meeting on the preferred surface, additional oval upgrades or revised project funding.
Debate and voting procedure
A procedural motion to allow councillors to speak for longer than five minutes was defeated. A separate procedural motion to vote on the matter clause by clause was carried.
These procedural outcomes affected how the contested project decision was debated and voted on, but did not change project policy.
Planning-standard variation requests rejected
The Panel was not satisfied that requests to vary the Height of Buildings standard under SEPP Housing 2021 and development standards under Clause 6.6 of KLEP 2015 met Clause 4.6 requirements. It considered strict compliance neither unreasonable nor unnecessary and found insufficient environmental planning grounds for the variations.
The refusal confirms that the proposed development could not rely on the requested planning-standard variations, which may affect the scale and design of any future application.
Places
Turramurra
Site for a planned bench and plaque recognising Faith Bandler.
Marian Street Theatre
Marian Street Theatre project and DA 0144/20 preservation works
Norman Griffiths Oval
Synthetic or best-practice natural turf upgrade project discussed; project budget was previously increased to up to $20.2 million.
Wahroonga
Referenced in relation to the Member for Wahroonga and the Indoor Sports Centre dispute.
Pymble
Location of the refused development at 4-10 Bridge Street.
Roseville
Affected by the Echo Street rezoning and the proposed Roseville Village Green timing update.
Killara
Potential future community space and performing-arts infrastructure options
St Ives
Existing retail/commercial buildings and proposed St Ives Tavern use mentioned in a refusal excerpt; address is incomplete in the supplied text
Projects
Marian Street Theatre
Central facility affected by the preservation decision and future infrastructure options.
Ku-ring-gai Local Planning Panel
Made the planning decisions exercising Ku-ring-gai Council’s consent authority functions.
Norman Griffiths Oval Upgrade
Central infrastructure project reviewed and paused by Council.
Gordon Civic Hub
One of the possible future performing-arts infrastructure options for Gordon Ward.
Norman Griffiths Oval
Central sports infrastructure project whose surface, cost and delivery were debated.
St Ives Tavern
The proposed pub use identified in the eDA0013/26 refusal excerpt.
NSW Office of Local Government
Provided capital expenditure review advice and compliance requirements.
Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (NSROC)
Council will write to NSROC and neighbouring mayors on illegal tree removal and was also linked to tender evaluation recommendations.