Housing & planning · Waverley Council
Bondi Junction plan calls for height modelling and stronger 10% affordable-housing direction
Waverley Council has carried refinements to the proposed master plan after 830 written submissions and 470 survey responses, but further modelling, December consideration and public exhibition are still to come, according to unconfirmed minutes.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
Waverley Council has carried a package of changes to the proposed Bondi Junction Vision and Master Plan after 830 written submissions and 470 survey responses, according to unconfirmed minutes of its 20 October 2026 meeting. The refinements affect development heights, shadows, transport, open space, parking, sustainability and affordable housing across Bondi Junction, but the plan is not yet settled.
The resolution calls for modelling of upper and lower building-height ranges, including an 85-metre scenario in the Oxford Street Mall, with detailed shadow diagrams and an assessment of any effect on dwelling yield. Officers are also to examine reduced development uplift in parts of West Oxford Street, the Ebley, Bronte, Newland and Spring Street block, the southern side of Ebley Street between Gardiner and Newland streets including the Spotlight site, and the block bounded by Bondi Road, Dalley Street, Council Street and Paul Street.
The changes include starting design work on a Waverley Street bike path with integrated tree planting between Waverley Park and Bondi Road, removing ring-road references and adding locations for pocket parks on Grey Street. Council is also to investigate whether the proposed 1,500-square-metre town square between Oxford Street Mall and Spring Street should be expanded.
The carried resolution strengthens planning directions on social infrastructure, including childcare, libraries and advocacy for public school and pre-school facilities. It calls for minimal car parking provisions for residential development, advocacy for the NSW Government to commit to a full upgrade of the bus interchange and train station, and more ambitious building sustainability measures. These include a design guide to ensure new development is all-electric, high-performing and climate-resilient, with reference to current investigations into electrical power supply in Bondi Junction.
It also directs that action G.2 be strengthened to reflect provision of 10 per cent affordable housing in perpetuity. An amendment that would have made that provision subject to further economic analysis was defeated, so the minutes do not attach that qualification to the carried wording. The resolution also removes proposed uplift from the Mill Hill Childcare Centre site on Ebley Street and changes the target from 35 per cent tree canopy to 35 per cent canopy and greening.
Officers are due to report to the December 2026 Council meeting on the modelling and how the refinements have been incorporated. The version considered at that meeting is to be placed on public exhibition. A notice of motion to rescind the 20 October resolution is due to be considered at the 17 November meeting, leaving the recorded changes open to further council consideration.
What deserves a closer look
The unconfirmed minutes record carried planning refinements and modelling directions, not a final set of development controls.
The height outcome remains open because officers must model multiple ranges and scenarios before reporting in December.
The affordable-housing wording in the recorded decision does not include the economic-analysis qualification proposed in the defeated amendment.
Questions for follow-up reporting
Will the 17 November rescission motion change any of the carried refinements before December?
Which height ranges and shadow outcomes will officers recommend after the required modelling?
How will the 10 per cent affordable-housing provision be expressed in the eventual planning proposal?
What changes will appear in the version placed on public exhibition after the December meeting?
What happens next
The minutes schedule consideration of the rescission motion at the 17 November 2026 Council meeting.
Under the recorded resolution, officers are due to report to the December 2026 Council meeting on the modelling and incorporation of the refinements.
Under the recorded resolution, the amended Master Plan considered at the December meeting is to be put on public exhibition.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The motion as amended was put and declared carried.
(v) A review of heights on the block bounded by Bondi Road, Dalley Street, Council Street and Paul Street to ensure appropriate transition (pages 57 and 68).' THE MOTION AS AMENDED WAS THEN PUT AND DECLARED CARRIED.
CM/6.2/26.10, outcome of amended motion
Open original minutes ↗The decision records 830 written submissions and 470 survey responses and directs updates to the Bondi Junction Vision and Master Plan.
DECISION That Council: 1. Notes that public exhibition of the draft Bondi Junction Vision and Master Plan closed on 24 June 2026, attracting 830 written submissions and 470 survey responses, and thanks the community for the depth of its participation. 2. Notes that the submissions, across the four strategies of Activation, Connectivity, Greening and Open Space, and Growth, point to a clear and consistent set of improvements the community is asking Council to make. 3. Updates the Bondi Junction Vision and Master Plan to better align with the concerns raised in the submissions, with the following refinements: (a) Include a set of key principles in the Activation Strategy (pages 30 to 32) and the Civic Precinct Catalyst Project (pages 84 to 90) committing to the provision of social infrastructure, including maintaining and, where required, expanding childcare provision, lobbying the NSW Government for public school and public pre-school facilities to meet increased density, and maintaining and expanding the library in the Civic precinct.
CM/6.2/26.10, decision clauses 1–3(a)
Open original minutes ↗The quoted provisions call for reduced-uplift modelling for the north side of West Oxford Street and the southern part of the Ebley, Bronte, Newland and Spring Street block, and more detailed height guidance for the Denison, Ebley, Newland and Spring Street block and the southern side of Ebley Street between Gardiner and Newland streets, including the Spotlight site.
73) (y) Model reduced uplift in specific areas, including analysis, current controls and compared to the Master Plan: (i) The north side of West Oxford Street, from Nelson Street to 194 Oxford Street, consistent with the uplift on the southern side (pages 57 and 66). (ii) The southern part of the Ebley, Bronte, Newland and Spring Street block, reduced in line with the 5 May version to better transition to the Ebley Street, Clementson Park and Heritage Conservation Area interface (page 57). (iii) More detailed height guidance for the Denison, Ebley, Newland and Spring Street block to ensure solar access to Clementson Park and transition to the Ebley Street and Heritage Conservation Area interface (pages 57 and 64). (iv) More detailed height guidance along the southern side of Ebley Street, between Gardiner and Newland Streets, to ensure appropriate transition to the south, for example six to eight storeys fronting Ebley Street and four storeys to the rear of the Spotlight site (pages 57 and 64).
CM/6.2/26.10, decision clause 3(y)(i)–(iv)
Open original minutes ↗The quoted provisions call for a review of heights on the block bounded by Bondi Road, Dalley Street, Council Street and Paul Street; upper and lower height modelling including an 85-metre Oxford Street Mall scenario; detailed shadow diagrams; and identification of dwelling-yield implications.
(v) A review of heights on the block bounded by Bondi Road, Dalley Street, Council Street and Paul Street to ensure appropriate transition (pages 57 and 68). (z) Model the upper and lower height ranges, with accompanying shadow diagrams, including modelling the 85-metre scenario in the Oxford Street Mall, with officers to recommend the best approach based on that modelling. (aa) Develop detailed shadow diagrams of all proposed height changes, across both the upper and lower ranges. (bb) Note any implications of modelling on dwelling yield. (cc) Identify any other improvements that could be made in line with the public feedback.
CM/6.2/26.10, decision clauses 3(y)(v)–3(cc)
Open original minutes ↗The quoted provisions call for adding a short-term action to commence design of a Waverley Street bike path with integrated tree planting connecting to Waverley Park and Bondi Road, and deleting ring-road references from the Connectivity Strategy.
(e) Add a short-term action (page 41) to commence design of a Waverley Street bike path with integrated tree planting, connecting to Waverley Park and Bondi Road. (f) Delete all references to a 'ring road' throughout the Connectivity Strategy (pages 36 to 41).
CM/6.2/26.10, decision clauses 3(e)–(f)
Open original minutes ↗The quoted provision calls for investigating the appropriate size of the proposed town square between Oxford Street Mall and Spring Street, including an officer recommendation on whether 1,500 square metres remains appropriate or should be expanded.
(g) Provide categorisation of the different types of open space for transparency, distinguishing green open space from non-green open space (page 49). (h) Investigate the appropriate size of the proposed new town square between Oxford Street Mall and Spring Street. This could include scenarios with reference to relevant case studies, and have officers recommend whether 1,500 square metres remains appropriate or should be expanded (pages 49, 78 and 83).
CM/6.2/26.10, decision clause 3(h)
Open original minutes ↗The quoted provisions call for adding locations for pocket parks at Grey Street and removing uplift from the Mill Hill Childcare Centre on Ebley Street to provide certainty that the site will not be redeveloped.
(m) Add locations for pocket parks at Grey Street (page 49). (n) Remove reference to a potential 'high line' for Syd Einfeld Drive. (o) Remove uplift from the Mill Hill Childcare Centre on Ebley Street to provide certainty that this site will not be redeveloped.
CM/6.2/26.10, decision clauses 3(m)–(o)
Open original minutes ↗The quoted refinements call for social-infrastructure principles covering childcare, the Civic precinct library and advocacy for public school and pre-school facilities; minimal residential car parking; and advocacy for the NSW Government to commit to a full upgrade of the bus interchange and train station.
3. Updates the Bondi Junction Vision and Master Plan to better align with the concerns raised in the submissions, with the following refinements: (a) Include a set of key principles in the Activation Strategy (pages 30 to 32) and the Civic Precinct Catalyst Project (pages 84 to 90) committing to the provision of social infrastructure, including maintaining and, where required, expanding childcare provision, lobbying the NSW Government for public school and public pre-school facilities to meet increased density, and maintaining and expanding the library in the Civic precinct. (b) Require residential development to include minimal car parking provision to reduce congestion, referencing Council's existing progressive car parking controls for Bondi Junction. Minutes of Council Meeting 20 October 2026 This is page 12 of the minutes of the Council meeting held on 20 October 2026 (c) Add a key outcome (page 37) and a strengthened action (page 41) advocating for the NSW Government to commit to a full upgrade of both the bus interchange and the train station.
CM/6.2/26.10, decision clauses 3(a)–(c)
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from the unconfirmed public minutes of Waverley Council's meeting held on 20 October 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- The public exhibition received 830 written submissions and 470 survey responses.
- The minutes record Council carrying refinements including a Waverley Street bike-path design, Grey Street pocket parks, removal of the ring-road references and further town-square investigation.
- The resolution calls for modelling of upper and lower height ranges, shadows and an 85-metre Oxford Street Mall scenario, with a report due in December 2026.
- The resolution directs that action G.2 be strengthened to reflect provision of 10 per cent affordable housing in perpetuity; an amendment to make that provision subject to further economic analysis was lost.
- The amended Master Plan considered at the December meeting is to be placed on public exhibition, and a rescission motion is listed for 17 November 2026.
Why it matters
- The refinements could shape future development capacity, building heights, transport links, parking, public spaces, sustainability requirements and affordable-housing planning in Bondi Junction. Their eventual form remains subject to further modelling, a rescission motion and public exhibition.