4.21 Stanmore
Part 4 – Place Specific Controls
Stanmore is located on the lands of the Gadigal. Gadigal lands extend south of Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson) stretching from South Head to Petersham with part of the southern boundary lying on the Cooks River.
Country in Stanmore is built upon a ridge with panoramic views of Botany Bay and the Blue Mountains. Country here is part of the Cooks River catchment; it does not have natural waterways visible on the surface, however underground water is present. The topography in Stanmore is gently undulating rises on Wianamatta Shale with local relief of 10–30 metres and slopes of generally <5% to 10%. Crests and ridges are broad (200–600 metres) and rounded with convex upper slopes grading into concave lower slopes. Rock outcrops are absent. The original ecological community present in Stanmore is Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest. For thousands of generations, Aboriginal Peoples have moved through Country following traditional pathways, gathering seasonal resources, finding freshwater and traditionally managing the lands.
This Country is still used by First Nations Peoples, including the Aboriginal organisation: NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc who provides advice on education and training. In the 2021 Census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics published that 0.9% of the population of Stanmore identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Stanmore's existing character is defined by its fine-grain urban fabric, predominantly low-rise residential development, and strong heritage presence. The area features a mix of Victorian, Federation, and Inter-War period housing, complemented by small-scale commercial and institutional buildings along key corridors. Streets are typically narrow with a grid-like layout, providing a high level of walkability and connectivity. Consistent building setbacks, front gardens, and mature street trees contribute to a cohesive streetscape, while varied roof forms, brick facades, and period detailing enhance its historic character. Stanmore's commercial activity is concentrated around Stanmore Station and along Parramatta Road, with a mix of retail, hospitality, and small-scale businesses. Green spaces, street trees, and public domain improvements contribute to local amenity, though some areas have limited tree canopy.
Stanmore's desired future character is defined by preservation of its low-rise residential scale along with Strategic Urban Renewal that facilitates adaptable, mixed-use development and creative industries along key commercial corridors. A heritage sensitive approach to growth will ensure new infill development complements the established character, scale, and materials of the existing and emerging context.
The Stanmore neighbourhood encourages a mix of compatible land uses, including residential, creative industries, and employment-generating activities. Along key corridors like Parramatta Road and Bridge Road, new development will provide strong street definition through the retention of zero building line setbacks and the use of design strategies to ensure buildings are adaptable over time.
Objectives
To encourage a mix of compatible land uses within the neighbourhood including employment generating, creative industries and residential uses that contribute to a mixed-use character
To maintain distinctly single-storey, low density residential streetscapes that exist within the neighbourhood
To protect groups or runs of buildings which retain their original built form including roof forms, original detailing, and finishes
To protect and enhance the character of streetscapes and public domain elements within the neighbourhood including prevailing subdivision patterns, building typologies, materials and finishes, setbacks, and landscaping
To ensure that commercial buildings, and any building type along Parramatta Road and Bridge Road, provide strong definition to the street through retention of the existing zero building line setbacks
To encourage retention of large floor to ceiling heights where these currently exist to ensure buildings can adapt to a range of uses over time
To incorporate improvements to on-road cycle infrastructure including intersection treatment at the junction of Macaulay Road, Bridge Road and Cruickshank Street.
To ensure the street building frontage of infill development complements the siting (location and orientation), scale, form (height, massing and setback), proportion (height to width and solid to void), rhythm, pattern, detail, material, colour, texture, style and general character in the design of the existing predominantly traditional two storey commercial streetscape, without being imitative.
To ensure that any new residential development considers the amenity of residents in terms of noise and pollution generated by traffic volumes along Parramatta Road.
Controls
Development, including land uses and urban design, is to enhance and achieve the desired future character of the neighbourhood while retaining elements that contribute to that character and meeting all relevant DCP requirements.
This chapter applies to the Stanmore Neighbourhood as shown in Figure 4.21.1. The controls for:
- Parramatta Road Commercial Precinct HCA apply to the land listed as C36
- Annandale Farm Heritage Conservation Area apply to the land listed as C87
- Cardigan Street Heritage Conservation Area apply to the land listed as C88
- Kingston South Heritage Conservation Area apply to the land listed as C89
- Kingston West Heritage Conservation Area apply to the land listed as C90
The Parramatta Road Commercial Precinct is important to the local area as it shows the changing role of retail and commercial development along Sydney's main arterial road since colonial times. It retains evidence of early subdivisions and later road widening, as well as rare examples of commercial building types.
Key Features:
- Demonstrates the evolution of retail and commercial development along Parramatta Road, Sydney's main arterial corridor.
- Includes a variety of retail and commercial built forms, such as a former drive-under petrol station, now rare in the Sydney metropolitan area.
- Provides evidence of the final subdivision of the South Annandale Estate in 1906 and later road widening impacts.
- Buildings predominantly date from 1906 to 1940, including some rare examples of their type.
- Original streetscape configuration retained, with individual shop bays, glazed shopfronts, and direct access to the footpath.
- Upper levels historically used for commercial or residential purposes, though traffic noise and pollution have reduced their desirability.
Objectives
To facilitate development that is consistent with the statement of significance and controls for Parramatta Road Commercial Precinct Heritage Conservation Area
Controls
Note: These controls apply in addition to the general heritage provisions in Section 2.12 of this DCP. Applicants are to address both the general heritage controls and the locality-specific controls below.
Retain the following elements that define the heritage significance:
- a)All pre-1941 buildings
- b)Commercial land uses
- c)Active street frontage at ground level
- d)Two storey parapet to street frontage
- e)Integrity of skyline view and of parapet detailing against the sky from northern footpath and important oblique views
- f)Orientation of active uses to Parramatta Road
- g)Traditional shoptop of late 19th century commercial design
- h)Vertical separation of land use with retail at ground floor and commercial/residential above
- i)Individual shops with high quality detailing including arched openings to verandahs and high quality detailing to brickwork and quoining
- j)Division of larger buildings into vertically proportioned bays
- k)Vertically proportioned windows at upper levels
- l)Signage appropriate in scale, materials, location and content related to business
- m)Street names set into footpath
- n)Continuity of retail/commercial uses
Where no evidence remains of original ground floor shopfronts and the existing modern shopfront detracts from the appearance of the building, encourage the shop window replacement with a more sympathetic modern shopfront (for example consisting of timber framed glazed bifold doors with timber framed fanlights above)
Reinstatement of original arched recessed balconies is encouraged
Note: Due to the noise impacts of Parramatta Road, it is considered reasonable to allow sympathetically designed enclosure of recessed balcony openings (such as glazing with minimal framing or timber-framed windows) provided that unsympathetic alterations (such as brickwork infill of original arched balcony openings) are removed concurrently
Annandale Farm is important to the local area as a distinctive residential precinct developed between 1884 and 1910 from the last subdivisions of the original Annandale Farm Estate, an early colonial property. The area retains links to the estate through street alignments that follow original farm boundaries and the potential gatehouse lodge now located at the rear of 96 Corunna Road. It is locally rare for preserving these early landscape elements and has potential archaeological significance near the former farmhouse and associated structures.
Key Features:
- Development from 1884 to 1910, following the last subdivisions (1884–1906) of the Annandale Farm Estate
- Street alignments reflecting original farm boundaries and the relocated gatehouse lodge at 96 Corunna Road
- Cohesive streetscapes with late Victorian and Federation period housing, including:
- Railway Villas positioned at a low point to attract affluent buyers
- High-quality examples of terraces, semi-detached cottages, and corner shops
- Wide streets and rhythmic roofscapes resulting from staged subdivision and speculative development patterns
- Local shopping centre that is high quality and substantially intact
- Archaeological potential near the former farmhouse, outbuildings, gardens, and burial ground
- Groups of high-quality, substantially intact late 19th and early 20th-century houses
- Strong and regular streetscape rhythm due to consistent subdivision patterns
Objectives
To facilitate development that is consistent with the statement of significance and controls for Annandale Farm Heritage Conservation Area
Controls
Note: These controls apply in addition to the general heritage provisions in Section 2.12 of this DCP. Applicants are to address both the general heritage controls and the locality-specific controls below.
Retain the following elements that define the heritage significance:
- a)All pre-1921 buildings
- b)Good groups of substantially intact late Victorian and Federation freestanding houses and cottages interspersed with terraces and groups of identical but detached houses from key period of significance
- c)Predominantly single storey building heights with sections of streetscape dominated by two storey buildings
- d)Garden plantings in front of dwellings
- e)Lack of car parking infrastructure
- f)Vehicular access provided from rear lane, with no driveway crossovers to principal frontage
- g)Plantings and design in Weekley Park
- h)Street tree plantings
- i)Street names set into footpath
Cardigan Street is important to the local area as a residential precinct developed between 1902 and 1915 on part of the Kingston Estate, one of Stanmore's earliest estates. Its later development compared to surrounding areas and short timeframe of construction created a highly consistent streetscape that reflects the transition from early land grants to a dense urban setting.
Key Features:
- Development between 1902 and 1915 on part of the Kingston Estate, later than surrounding areas
- Consistent built forms and typologies due to concentrated development period
- Predominantly single-storey Federation period cottages and semi-detached dwellings, with some late Victorian examples
- Typical Federation materials and details:
- Dark and polychrome brickwork
- Timber-framed vertically proportioned sash windows
- Marseilles pattern terracotta tiled roofs
- Mature street tree planting including Jacaranda and Brush Box, enhancing streetscape quality
- Strong and regular streetscape rhythm from consistent lot sizes and building forms
- Serrated roofscapes created by uniform building height and alignment to side boundaries set obliquely to the street
- Public domain elements including sandstone kerbing, street names set into footpaths, and a rare marker announcing the boundary of the former Petersham Municipality
Objectives
To facilitate development that is consistent with the statement of significance and controls for Cardigan Street Heritage Conservation Area.
Controls
Note: These controls apply in addition to the general heritage provisions in Section 2.12 of this DCP. Applicants are to address both the general heritage controls and the locality-specific controls below.
Retain the following elements that define the heritage significance:
- a)All pre-1916 buildings
- b)Predominantly single storey building heights
- c)Serrated roofscapes created by consistent building height and form aligned to side boundaries set obliquely to the street
- d)Lack of car parking infrastructure forward of the building line
- e)Garden plantings in front of dwellings
- f)Mature street trees creating avenue quality to streetscape
- g)Street and Municipal names set into the footpath
Kingston South is important to the local area as part of the first subdivision made under the Torrens Title System in December 1863, known as "Holt, Smart and Mort's Subdivision of South Kingston." It developed in the late 1860s and 1870s as a desirable residential precinct for entrepreneurs and the middle class and retains its original subdivision pattern and historic character.
Key Features:
- Part of the 1863 Holt, Smart and Mort's Subdivision of South Kingston, Deposited Plan 1 under the Torrens Title System
- Original subdivision pattern retained, including 16 intact lots and the original house on the property
- Development from late 19th century to mid-20th century, representing a rich variety of built forms and cultural aspirations
- High-quality examples of architectural styles and typologies from 1863 to 1960, including:
- Early Victorian vernacular houses
- Victorian Gentleman's villas and semi-detached mansions
- Rare three-storey terraces
- Modest single-storey workers' terraces
- Inter-War residential flat buildings in Holt Street
- Representative late 20th-century residential flat buildings
- Evidence of 19th-century socio-topographic stratification, with larger dwellings on higher ground and modest terraces in lower areas
- Consistency of built forms within terrace and small-lot house typologies, with cohesive streetscapes showing form, scale, rhythm, and materials
- High-quality detailing to front elevations of intact and substantially intact houses and terraces
- Public domain elements including sandstone kerbing and street names set in red cement into footpaths
Objectives
To facilitate development that is consistent with the statement of significance and controls for Kingston South Heritage Conservation Area
Controls
Note: These controls apply in addition to the general heritage provisions in Section 2.12 of this DCP. Applicants are to address both the general heritage controls and the locality-specific controls below.
Retain the following elements that define the heritage significance:
- a)All pre-1941 buildings
- b)Imposing street presence of dwellings regardless of typology
- c)Residential character demonstrated through the single and two storey 19th century and Federation period terrace housing typologies
- d)Surviving Deposited Plan 1 allotments and structures on those lots from the key period of significance (1854-1940)
- e)Street tree plantings
- f)Montague Gardens – including mature vegetation and remnants of original fabric (fence)
- g)Street names set into footpath
The further subdivision of lots titled under Deposited Plan 1 will not be supported.
Kingston West is important to the local area as a residential precinct developed during the 1887 and 1893 subdivisions of the West Kingston Estate. Its short release period created a consistent streetscape of modestly scaled terraces and cottages intended for the aspirational middle class, with one highly contributory shop adding to its character.
Key Features:
- Development from 1887 and 1893 subdivisions of the West Kingston Estate, reflecting late 19th and early 20th-century residential growth.
- Consistent built forms and typologies due to concentrated development period.
- Predominantly single-storey terraces and cottages modestly scaled but finely detailed and well-proportioned.
- Typical Federation period materials and details:
- Dark and duochrome brickwork.
- Timber-framed vertically proportioned sash windows.
- Slate or Marseilles pattern terracotta tiled roofs.
- Streetscape quality enhanced by Rosevear Street, offering views of roofscapes stepping along the hillside and traditionally configured side elevations.
- Public domain elements include sandstone kerbing; late 20th-century native street tree planting does not contribute to historic character.
- Rare single-storey posted verandah corner shop.
- Boundary reflects the alignment of the original Kingston Estate.
Objectives
To facilitate development that is consistent with the statement of significance and controls for Kingston West Heritage Conservation Area
Controls
Note: These controls apply in addition to the general heritage provisions in Section 2.12 of this DCP. Applicants are to address both the general heritage controls and the locality-specific controls below.
Retain the following elements that define the heritage significance:
- a)All pre-1916 buildings
- b)Predominantly single storey building heights
- c)Small garden plantings in front of dwellings
- d)Lack of car parking infrastructure
- e)Vehicular access provided from rear lane, lack of driveway crossovers to principal frontage
- f)Street layout, including alignment of streets to fit into the triangular space of the original grant and without direct links to streets in the Annandale Farm HCA
- g)Street tree plantings
- h)Street names set into footpath