Willoughby City Council are digging their heels to stop any development on the site of St Leonard’s Church.

Plans for development were initially floated by Father Brian in 2017, who formed a Parish Working Committee to determine potential plans for the site of St Leonard’s Church, the Presbytery, and the once operational Catholic Primary School.

Since, Parishioner forums have been held in February of 2019, May of 2019, March of 2019, and March of 2021. The forums found through community feedback that there was a desire to update the parking, restore St Leonard’s Church, retain the Presbytery, and bring in an aged care operator for the Primary School site. However, a decision was made that the Parish was unlikely to attract an aged care operator.

In April of 2021, Metro Property Development was appointed as development partner alongside the Roman Catholic Church. Plans for the site included demolishing the school building and annexe, constructing a multi-dwelling housing development, converting the Presbytery into a dwelling and constructing a new presbytery adjacent, creating underground parking, fully landscaping the forecourt, and conservation of the heritage-listed Church.

With this agreement, the developed land would be on lease for a period of 99 years. Any profit made by the development would be awarded to Metro Property Development, which has left Parishioners questioning how the Church are to benefit from, essentially, giving the land away with little to no return.

The Post have contacted the Diocese of Broken Bay to clarify the terms of the agreement. At the time of publication, no clarification has been given.

Coupled with questions of what exactly the deal entails, is the issue of the site’s historical significance. In early 2023, the Willoughby Local Planning Panel refused the development application put forth by Metro and the Church and placed an Interim Heritage Order over the site to halt any development. Council and Diocese of Broken Bay are currently in an ongoing appeal before the Land and Environment Court of NSW to reverse the denied development application.

‘While the Church itself is protected,’ says Willoughby Mayor Tanya Taylor in a media release. ‘An independent preliminary heritage assessment has revealed that the surrounding buildings also hold local heritage significance.’

Heritage architect, Vanessa Holtham, prepared a report on for the site of 43 Donnelly Road, Naremburn, which Council considered in their October Ordinary Meeting. The report details the original construction in the early 20th century. ‘The school land is said to have been donated by the Sisters of St Joseph to the parish,’ reads the report. ‘Archbishop Kelly claimed that Mother Mary McKillop was instrumental through Divine Providence in determining the place for the future school.’

With the report in mind, Council moved a motion during the October meeting to list St Leonard’s Church, the Presbytery, and the School Buildings as a local heritage item.

Any decision by the Land and Environment Court of NSW to appeal Willoughby City Council’s development refusal is yet to be determined by the court.