The King’s School has always provided state-of-the-art teaching and extra-curricular facilities and is excited about the opportunities a range of new facilities will provide for current and future students, as well as ensuring King’s continues to attract and retain the best staff.

Some buildings are approaching the end of their functional lifespan and are no longer fit for purpose, and these will either be upgraded or replaced to provide more modern facilities for students and staff to enjoy.

The proposed upgrades will deliver a range of new facilities, as well as significant upgrades to some existing sites to develop more cohesive and efficient precincts.

A new entrance to the School will be created via Masons Drive. New classrooms will be added to the Preparatory School, and a major upgrade will be made to its Performing Arts facility. The SSDA also includes a cutting-edge Senior School Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) building, a sports pavilion between the Massie Fields and Old Boys Field, a new Year 7 day house, a new boarding house and new staff accommodation.

The upgrades form part of a consolidated Masterplan which will be delivered in stages over the next two to three decades.

The first stage of work includes:

• A new entrance to the School via Masons Drive
• Key upgrades to the Preparatory School including:
  • a new performing arts facility
  • new classrooms
• A new building for the Senior School’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) precinct.
• New staff accommodation

Timelines for the first stage will become clearer following the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s determination of the SSDA.

A new sports pavilion between the Massie Fields and Old Boys Field, a new Year 7 day house, a new boarding house and new staff accommodation will also be delivered in future stages.

We will continue to keep our key stakeholders up to date as the project progresses.

Yes, the School has several other projects planned that are not part of the SSDA Masterplan proposal. These were identified prior to this process and as such are being delivered separately.

We will keep the School community updated on these projects.

The School’s executive and council believe completing these projects as part of a consolidated masterplan will deliver the greatest benefit to the School and those we share our broader community with.

Delivering the broad scope of work as part of a consolidated SSDA will also allow members of the local community to easily review and provide feedback on all major school development initiatives in one place.

The State Significant Development pathway also delivers greater consultation and a more transparent and rigorous environmental impact assessment than individual approvals for each component of the projects.

The project’s Environmental Impact Statement will soon be placed on public exhibition by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, allowing anyone to make a formal submission and provide feedback – to have their say and be heard.

This feedback period will build on previous consultation about the proposed upgrades, which we have carried out within the School, and with the broader community.

More information will be available at www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au. 

We have listened to feedback from the community and amended the proposal in several areas, including traffic management arrangements. Plans have also been amended to reduce the impact on riparian zones on the School campus.

The King’s School has been a member of the Greater Parramatta community for almost 200 years and has always taken its responsibilities to all communities within and surrounding the school very seriously.

That includes the School’s duties as a custodian of its historic property and as a neighbour to surrounding residents, schools, churches and businesses.

As part of our ongoing school planning, we set aside around $10 million from school revenue each year to put into development.

Given these upgrades will be delivered in stages over the next two to three decades, this current capital commitment will comfortably cover the expected cost of what is planned.

We are aware of the potential traffic impacts on surrounding schools as a result of our proposed new vehicle entrance from the west via Masons Drive.

We have been working closely with traffic experts to ensure traffic during construction and post-development does not exacerbate local traffic issues.

We are committed to further consultation with surrounding schools and the broader community to ensure this is managed cohesively on an ongoing basis.

The works will be sequenced and spread out over many years to minimise the impact on the School community.

Work will be scheduled to minimise any impact on classes, other school activities and exams.

A Construction and Operational Noise Report will also be provided as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The report will provide a detailed assessment of potential noise and vibration impacts caused by construction activities and recommendations for mitigation measures.

One of the reasons The King’s School is pursuing the SSDA pathway is it provides a framework for rigorous environmental impact assessments.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will include demonstrations of the ways in which principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) have been incorporated into the proposed development and will also include a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report, Bushfire Hazard Assessment, Stormwater Management Plan and Sediment and Erosion Control Plan.

The King’s School is a proud custodian of the site and the proposed redevelopment will be designed in a way that respects the significance of the site’s heritage.

The Environmental Impact Statement will include a Heritage Impact assessment which will address the heritage significance of the site.