An application for a State Significant Development residential development has been lodged for 160 Oxford Street Paddington. The proposal includes the demolition of existing buildings at 142-148 and 160 Oxford Street, 13 Gipps St (garage only), and 6 Shadforth Street, Paddington. The application was lodged with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) late in 2025.
Low and Mid Rise (LMR) Housing within Woollahra Muncipal Council
The proposal is one of the first to test the implications of the Low and Mid Rise (LMR) Housing within Woollahra Muncipal Council and should address the Infill Affordable Housing Provisions as they apply to WMC’s current Planning and Heritage Strategies. It is the first within the Paddington Heritage Conservation Area. The Proposal requires careful assessment and immediate attention.
The proposal also involves demolition and extensive excavation within the Paddington Heritage Conservation Area and many in the community are understandably very concerned.
The Paddington Society is also deeply concerned by this proposal and has prepared a submission opposing the development in its current form; we will be updating this site with news as it becomes available.
Oxford160 Proposal
The proposal for 160 Oxford Street includes the following:
- Demolition of existing buildings at 142-148 and 160 Oxford Street, 13 Gipps St (garage only), and 6 Shadforth Street, Paddington
- Retain and refurbish 13 Gipps Street, integrating a private pedestrian link to Bethel Lane
- Construction of a new 8 storey/9 level mixed-use building plus basement parking comprising:
- Approximately 40 apartments, including some 10-12 affordable apartments (15% of Gross Floor Area)
- Below-ground car park (4 excavated levels) with resident parking / retail storage
- Landscaping and public domain modifications to the local streetscape
- The developers also claim that the proposal has been designed to avoid removal and damage of prominent Oxford Street trees
- Approximately 3 retail spaces at street level on Oxford Street
160 Oxford Street, proposed north aspect
The project developer claims to deliver high-quality homes for current and future residents, with a strong focus on connectivity, liveability, and affordability. However the proposal only includes 10-12 affordable apartments, resulting in a net loss of 15 -17 of the 27 existing genuinely affordable apartments on the 160 Oxford Street site, and replacing them with an 8/9 level building.
The proposal has been identified as State Significant Development (SSD). SSDs are determined by scale, anticipated cost, strategic importance in supporting housing delivery, and the inclusion of infill affordable housing. Under recent amendments to the Housing State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP), residential developments that include at least 15% of the gross floor area as affordable housing and have a capital investment value exceeding $75 million (in Greater Sydney) may qualify for the SSD pathway.
On November 20, the developer Toohey Miller hosted an online meeting open to the community, outlining details of the development. During the meeting the developer noted that the updated application was anticipated to be lodged in late 2025. There will be a public exhibition period in early 2026. The Society and the community are very concerned that the exhibition period is likely to fall during the holiday season.
Little Paddington Village
The site is part of the original and first grant of land in Paddington given to the Australian Subscription Library in 1840. The precinct became Little Paddington Village, made up of numerous small frontage single storey houses which were constructed to house the artisans employed for the construction of Victoria Barracks, including stonemasons, carpenters and the like. The site is therefore of particular importance to Paddington and deserves to be treated in an appropriately sympathetic way.
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- Cottages, Shadforth Street
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- Cottage, Gipps Street
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- Cottage, Spring Street
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- Cottage, Spring Street
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- Cottage, Gipps Street
Community Concerns
The significant concerns of the The Paddington Society, WMC Councillors and members of the community regarding the proposal include;
- the loss of affordable housing;
- impacts to the Paddington Heritage Conservation Area (HCA), especially to the beautifully preserved and much loved original cottages that housed the workers who built Victoria Barracks;
- traffic, excavation and amenity implications;
- scale and bulk of the proposed development;
- privacy and amenity of neighbouring residents;
- sympathy with the conservation values of the street and precinct;
- overshadowing of the public open space on Oxford Street;
- impacts on Oxford Street’s Plane and Jacaranda trees;
- lack of community consultation; and
- difficulties for council and individuals navigating the complexities of a State Significant Development.
Paddington United
Interior courtyard, 160 Oxford Street
Neighbours to the development have launched Paddington United to protest the plans and the process. They have met with Allegra Spender, Federal Member for Wentworth, and Alex Greenwich, NSW State Member for Sydney. They are working closely with Councillor Harriet Price from Woollahra Municipal Council.
An article about the protest was published in the SMH on November 23, at which time a petition Stop the Paddington Tower opposing the development had garnered approximately 700 signatories.
Paddington United recently contacted all who had signed the petition to ask them to contact the Minister to ask for an extension of time for submissions. Currently, the exhibition period is 14 days. The request is to extend this to 28 days, particularly as the period is likely to fall during the holiday period.
A response from Minister Scully was sent to Alex Greenwich on 27/11/25.
Interested individuals can also contact Paddington United at PreservingPaddington@gmail.com for regular updates.
