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One of Sydney’s oldest private schools has unveiled plans to spend $173.5 million on a major redevelopment as it prepares to become fully coeducational, but the ambitious expansion has triggered a backlash from neighbours who fear it will worsen traffic, parking and congestion in the surrounding heritage precinct.
Newington College has lodged plans with the NSW government to transform its senior campus, including new indoor and rooftop sports complexes, a performing arts precinct with a theatre and exhibition gallery, additional classrooms, a lecture hall, dining hall and a fitness centre.
The project is designed to support the college’s transition to coeducation, with girls progressively enrolling in the senior school as Newington moves towards becoming fully coeducational by 2033.
If approved, the redevelopment would increase enrolment capacity by 368 students, lifting total enrolments to 1860, while creating 45 ongoing jobs and replacing ageing facilities.
College chief operating officer Ross Xenos said the project would ensure the campus meets the needs of the school’s growing student population.
“We are excited to build on our 150 years in Stanmore and create an even better campus for our current students, while supporting sustainable growth and welcoming more students,” he said.
The proposal follows one of the most contentious periods in the school’s history after it announced it would end its long-standing status as a boys-only institution.
The decision divided the school community and prompted an unsuccessful NSW Supreme Court challenge from a student who argued the school’s historic trust deed prevented the enrolment of girls. Justice Guy Parker dismissed the case last year, ruling the word “youth” in the deed was gender-neutral.
While that battle centred largely on tradition, the redevelopment has opened a new front, with dozens of residents objecting to the scale of the expansion and its impact on the surrounding neighbourhood.
Submissions lodged with the NSW government warn the project would intensify traffic congestion, increase noise, disrupt the area during construction and overshadow the surrounding heritage conservation area.
Resident Maria Encarnacion Perez said local roads were already under strain.
“I already see large expensive SUVs with Newington stickers speeding down narrow streets, [and] expanding the campus will have an irreversible impact on the morning commute for many residents,” she wrote.
Other submissions suggested charging students a fee for parking on streets, while others raised concerns over the proposed rooftop sports courts and potential noise impacts from “whistles and shouting”.
According to the college’s plans, the redevelopment would generate up to 80 additional vehicle movements during the morning peak and 51 during the afternoon. To reduce those impacts, the college has proposed encouraging more students to walk, cycle or use public transport.
Xenos said the design recognised the character of the surrounding neighbourhood and would more than double on-site parking to ease pressure on nearby streets.
“We have engaged local residents throughout this process and continue to be mindful of being a good neighbour,” he said.
The proposal also includes 177 car parking spaces, landscaping and a pedestrian bridge across Stanmore Road, with several facilities to be available for community use outside school hours.
Inner West Council has called on the NSW government to impose strict conditions if approval is granted, including ongoing traffic monitoring, noise mitigation measures, and public access to the proposed pedestrian bridge.
The proposal is under assessment by the NSW Department of Planning. If approved, construction is expected to begin in late 2026 and be completed in stages by 2034.
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David Barwell is an urban affairs reporter for The Sydney Morning HeraldConnect via email.From our partners
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