Housing & planning · Randwick City Council
21 Cook Street apartments approved with privacy and design changes
Randwick’s planning panel approved the 31-apartment proposal unanimously, requiring upper-level side windows, the Level 5 setback, balcony planter boxes and room heights to meet amended conditions before a Construction Certificate is issued.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
The Randwick Local Planning Panel has approved a six-storey, 31-apartment building at 21 Cook Street, Randwick, with conditions requiring design changes aimed at privacy, street presentation and internal amenity. The approval was carried unanimously on 9 November 2026.
The consent covers demolition of the existing building and structures, tree removal, two basement levels and 30 car parking spaces. It also accepts a variation to the building-height standard in Clause 4.3 of the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012. The panel recorded that compliance was unreasonable and unnecessary in the circumstances and that there were sufficient environmental planning grounds for the variation.
Upper-level side windows must have their fixed panes removed, with the remaining windows changed to highlight windows. The front alignment of Level 5 must be increased to match the front wall of the levels below. Planter boxes on Level 4 and Level 5 balconies must be removed, with associated balcony extensions and updated balustrade details included in the plans.
All habitable rooms must provide at least 2.7 metres of floor-to-ceiling height. Revised architectural plans covering these changes and any consequential adjustments must be submitted. The amendments must be approved to the satisfaction of the Accredited Certifier before the Construction Certificate is issued.
The panel also deleted a condition concerning external colours, materials and finishes and added a 12-month landscape-maintenance requirement. A suitably qualified landscape professional must prepare a maintenance plan and submit it to the Principal Certifier before an Occupation Certificate is issued. Approved landscaping must then be maintained for at least 12 months from the date of that certificate, including replacing failed plantings.
The application had been deferred at the panel’s 6 November meeting for additional information and amended plans. The minutes say the proposal was consistent with the Housing SEPP 2021 and the objectives of the R3 zone. They do not state when construction will begin or whether either later certificate has been issued.
What deserves a closer look
The consent is conditional: the required amendments must be approved before the Construction Certificate, while the landscape-maintenance plan must be submitted before the Occupation Certificate.
The minutes record the approval and conditions but do not establish a construction start date or the issue of either certificate.
The apartment breakdown totals 31: 14 one-bedroom, six two-bedroom, nine three-bedroom and two four-bedroom apartments. The minutes record unanimity without a numerical vote tally.
Questions for follow-up reporting
When will the applicant submit the amended plans, and will a Construction Certificate be issued?
Will the approved development proceed to construction, and is any construction timing recorded elsewhere?
When will the landscape-maintenance plan be submitted and the Occupation Certificate issued?
What happens next
If the development proceeds, revised architectural plans incorporating the required amendments must be submitted, and the amendments must be approved to the satisfaction of the Accredited Certifier before the Construction Certificate is issued.
A Landscape Maintenance Plan must be submitted to the Principal Certifier before the Occupation Certificate is issued, and approved landscaping must be maintained for at least 12 months from the date of that certificate.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The record identifies the meeting as an electronic meeting of the Randwick Local Planning Panel held on 9 November 2026.
This is page 1 of the Minutes of the Randwick Local Planning Panel (Electronic) meeting held on 9 November 2026 MINUTES OF RANDWICK LOCAL PLANNING PANEL (ELECTRONIC) MEETING HELD ON MONDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 2026 Present: Chairperson: Sue Francis Expert Members: Sue Weatherley, Kim Burrell Community Representatives: Michael Berg Council Officers present: Coordinator Major Assessments Mr F Macri Senior Environmental Planning Officer Mr L Coorey Declarations of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests A) Nil.
Meeting title and attendance
Open original minutes ↗DA/1339/2025 concerns demolition of the existing building and structures, tree removal and construction of a six-storey, 31-apartment residential flat building with two basement levels and 30 car parking spaces at 21 Cook Street, Randwick.
B. That the RLPP grant consent under Sections 4.16 and 4.17 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, as amended, to Development Application No. DA/1339/2025 for demolition of existing building/structures, tree removal and construction of a 6-storey residential flat building comprising 31 x apartments (14 x 1-bedroom, 6 x 2-bedroom, 9 x 3-bedroom and 2 x 4-bedroom) and 2 x levels of basement for 30 car parking spaces, associated ancillary and landscaping works, at No. 21 Cook Street, Randwick subject to the development consent conditions attached to the supplementary assessment report, including the following MINUTES OF RANDWICK LOCAL PLANNING PANEL MEETING 9 NOVEMBER 2026 This is page 2 of the Minutes of the Randwick Local Planning Panel (Electronic) meeting held on 9 November 2026 • Amend Condition 2 to read as follows: The approved plans and documents must be amended in accordance with the following requirements: a.
Resolution B
Open original minutes ↗The applicant's written request concerns a variation of the Clause 4.3 height-of-buildings standard in the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012.
That the RLPP is satisfied that the Applicant's written request to vary the development standard relating to height of buildings in Clause 4.3 of Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012 has demonstrated that: i. Compliance with the relevant development standard is unreasonable and unnecessary in the circumstances of the case; and ii. There are sufficient environmental planning grounds to justify the contravention of the relevant development standard.
Resolution A
Open original minutes ↗All fixed panes in upper-level side-elevation windows must be deleted, and the remaining windows must be amended to highlight windows for privacy and amenity.
Upper-level side elevation windows All fixed panes to the upper-level side elevation windows must be deleted and the remaining windows amended to ensure they are highlight windows to ensure privacy and amenity requirements.
Amended Condition 2(a)
Open original minutes ↗The Level 5 front building alignment must be increased to align with the front wall of the levels below.
b. Level 5 front setback The front building alignment of Level 5 must be increased so that it aligns with the front wall of the levels below, ensuring a consistent vertical alignment to the street frontage.
Amended Condition 2(b)
Open original minutes ↗Planter boxes on Level 4 and Level 5 balconies must be removed, associated balconies extended to the amended building line, and updated balustrade details shown on the plans.
c. Level 4 and Level 5 planter boxes on balconies All planter boxes at Levels 4 and 5 balconies must be removed, and the associated balconies extended to the amended building line, with updated balustrade details shown on the plans.
Amended Condition 2(c)
Open original minutes ↗Habitable rooms must have a minimum floor-to-ceiling height of 2.7 metres. Revised architectural plans must incorporate all required amendments and consequential adjustments, with the amendments approved to the satisfaction of the Accredited Certifier before the Construction Certificate is issued.
d. Minimum floor-to-ceiling height All habitable rooms must provide a minimum floor-to-ceiling height of 2.7 m, demonstrated on the amended architectural sections. e. Updated architectural plans Revised architectural plans must be submitted incorporating all required amendments, together with any consequential adjustments necessary to maintain compliance with the relevant design controls. The above amendments shall be included into and approved prior to the issues of the Construction Certificate to the satisfaction of the Accredited Certifier. Condition Reason: To require amendments to the plans endorsed by the consent authority following assessment of the development.
Amended Condition 2(d)–(e) and approval requirement
Open original minutes ↗A landscape-maintenance plan prepared by a suitably qualified landscape professional must be submitted to the Principal Certifier before the Occupation Certificate, and approved landscaping must be maintained for at least 12 months from that certificate's date, including replacement of failed plantings.
• Delete Condition 4 External Colours, Materials & Finishes • Add Condition 99A: Landscape Maintenance (12-Month Establishment Period) A Landscape Maintenance Plan must be prepared by a suitably qualified landscape professional and submitted to the Principal Certifier prior to the issue of an Occupation Certificate. All approved landscaping must be maintained for a minimum period of 12 months from the date of Occupation Certificate, including watering, mulching, pruning, fertilising, pest and disease management, and replacement of any failed plantings to ensure full establishment.
Deletion of Condition 4 and addition of Condition 99A
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from Randwick City Council’s minutes for the Randwick Local Planning Panel electronic meeting held on 9 November 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- The Randwick Local Planning Panel approved DA/1339/2025 unanimously on 9 November 2026.
- The approved proposal is a six-storey residential flat building with 31 apartments, two basement levels and 30 car parking spaces at 21 Cook Street, Randwick.
- The panel accepted a variation to the Clause 4.3 building-height standard in the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012.
- Revised architectural plans must incorporate the required window, setback, balcony and room-height amendments, with approval of the amendments required before the Construction Certificate.
- A landscape maintenance plan must be submitted to the Principal Certifier before the Occupation Certificate, and approved landscaping must be maintained for at least 12 months from the date of that certificate.
Why it matters
- The approval sets specific design requirements for the proposed 31-apartment development at 21 Cook Street, including privacy controls, a changed upper-level street alignment and minimum room heights before a Construction Certificate, plus landscaping obligations tied to the Occupation Certificate.