2011 Residents’ Association

Who are we? What do we do?

We are a residents’ action group that advocates for residents and businesses in the 2011 postcode covering Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay, Rushcutters Bay and Woolloomooloo.

We have led and supported campaigns

• to defend public transport (Save the 311 Bus campaign)
• to preserve the historic streetscape of the neighbourhood (the 2018 campaign to save the Bourbon Hotel site from redevelopment)
• to improve public amenity (reopening of Fitzroy Gardens bathroom facility for market patrons, tourists and residents)
• to support community projects (vegetable and flower gardens, the Kings Cross Dog Show, etc.)

Our members live in the 2011 postcode area and have history here. We have seen our area grow and thrive ever since our Association was founded in 1995, but at times we’ve also seen it challenged. Throughout all, we have maintained our strong advocacy role to protect and improve the safety and amenity for all who live in, work in, and visit the 2011 postcode.

Some of our current campaigns and concerns include:

• the Minerva Metro Theatre DA
• noise regulation
• The Bourbon to the Empire DA

For more details, visit the Our Campaigns page

Thanks to the staff at Council’s Neighbourhood Service Centre

We wish to place on record our gratitude to Rita and her colleagues who run Council’s Neighbourhood Service Centre at 50-52 Darlinghurst Road, Potts Point. They offer friendly service and, when required, positive action to solve residents’ problems.

Two recent examples: (1) an extremely bright floodlight suddenly appeared on a crane above The Bourbon worksite causing sleepless nights in nearby flats; and (2) a metal spike was found protruding from the footpath on Ward Avenue causing a real risk to pedestrians. Both of those problems were fixed within 24 hours of their being reported to Rita and staff. Bravo!

If you have any problems as a local resident, please go and see Rita and her staff and you will likely find a listening ear and a practical response.

The new 15% rule is a big win for residents

In December 2024 the Lord Mayor announced that the Sydney City Council has agreed to adopt a new rule to “designed to ensure when a residential building is redeveloped the number of ‘dwellings’ or homes within that building does not drop significantly”. This rule, long ago adopted by Waverley and Randwick Councils, will “limit the loss of dwellings in redevelopment of existing residential flat building or mixed-use development to 15% … or one dwelling, whichever is greater”. Our Association lobbied vigorously for this new rule to be adopted. We thank Clrs. Zann Maxwell (Lab.), Mitch Wilson (Lab.) and Sylvie Ellsmore (Greens) for talking with us and pushing for this measure in Council.

Long-term residents forced out of homes to make way for luxury apartments

The Potts Point/Darlinghurst area is witnessing a constant and creeping decrease in cheap and affordable housing due to the redevelopment of existing apartment buildings.

This website is now publishing the details of Development Applications that create such a loss of affordable housing in our area and the 2011 Residents’ Association is submitting objections to Council and the State Government to these greedy DAs. We urge you to join us.

The never ending march of redevelopment in Potts Point

Council’s search to “activate” more and more buildings and streets and big and small developers joining the real estate gold rush that they are promoting in the 2011 postcode area means less amenity for residents (more noise, dirtier footpaths) and ever increasing rental levels and property prices. The workers in the area’s service industries (restaurant staff, hospital workers, paramedics, fire brigade personal, defense personnel) are being forced to live at the edges of the metropolis and far from their workplaces.

Read the 2011 Residents’ Association’s submission to Council about this important issue here

Finally, Council agrees that London plane trees will be phased out

The Potts Point/Kings Cross area have numerous London plane trees whose pollen is notorious for causing breathing problems for hayfever and asthma sufferers. The 2011 Residents’ Association has for years been calling for their replacement by other trees which do not cause these problems.

Finally Council has agreed to the gradual removal of the plane trees. Read more…

The Bourbon redevelopment creeps forward

Our Association is monitoring the slow progress of The Bourbon site redevelopment. The works are now very much behind schedule. For the past twelve months bricks, soil and rubbish have been mounting up (passers by can see this from the laneway adjacent to the development). When any wind comes, it blows all of this through the neighbourhood. How much longer will these disruptive works continue?

The end of the road for the Metro Minerva Theatre

On 17 November 2023 the “Planning Committee approved the development proposed by Central Element to convert the 1,000 seat art-deco Metro Minerva Theatre to a $69 million 63-roomed boutique hotel, forever locking it out of the community and wider Sydney. (…) The vote for the approval was unanimous, despite over 1700 objections, numerous reports and feasibility studies in favour of restoring the theatre, including one study that was partially funded by the City of Sydney.” — City Hub

Read the 2011 Residents’ Association submission here.

Noise regulation is changing for the worse

In September 2021 the Association made a submission to the NSW Environmental Protection Authority:

Submission regarding the Draft Noise Guide for Local Government (Environmental Protection Agency)