The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed development at 142–150 Narrow Neck Road, Katoomba is now on public exhibition.

You only have until 30 April to lodge your submission.

You can view the EIS here.

To lodge your submission, select "Make a submission" and follow the instructions. You can type directly into the portal or upload a document.

Submissions must be lodged by 30th April 2026.

Please note: postal submissions will not be accepted.

We strongly encourage all members and supporters to make a submission.

You can review our fact sheets and submission guide here

You don’t need to be an expert - write in your own words and focus on what matters most to you and the Blue Mountains. Thoughtful, individual submissions make a difference.

This is a critical moment. Please take the time to have your say.

Sign up for campaign updates - Subscribe - to stay abreast of progress.

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Narrow Neck Road Development: Thank you and Next Steps

Thank you to everyone who attended our recent community meetings on the proposed Narrow Neck Road development.

We were encouraged by the strong turnout and thoughtful, insightful questions raised. It's clear that many of you care deeply about the future of the Mountains, and the precedent this development will set if it proceeds.

We are expecting that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be lodged by the end of March. Once submitted, it will be placed on public exhibition for just 14 days. And it is during that window that community submissions will be a critical part of the assessment process.

Because the exhibition period is so brief, now is the time to prepare - familiarise yourself with the key issues and begin thinking about your submission in advance. Start by:
• Read our Submission Guide
• Think about what's important to you, what matters most
• Consider the impact to our local environment and our community

The Submission Guide and further background information are available on our campaign page, where you can sign up for updates if you haven't already done so: https://www.bluemountains.org.au/campaigns/Not-another-suburb-of-Sydney.shtml

Community participation is vital once the exhibition opens. Thank you again for your engagement and continued support.

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Please attend: Community meetings on Narrow Neck Road

We are urging Society members and supporters to attend one of the upcoming community information meetings about the proposed high-density development at 142–150 Narrow Neck Road, Katoomba.

This is the first development in the Blue Mountains to be assessed under the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) fast-track pathway - a process that bypasses key local planning protections and is unsuitable for environmentally sensitive, bushfire-prone land within a World Heritage region.

The developer is expected to lodge an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in late March, after which it will be placed on public exhibition for just 14 days. These meetings are a crucial opportunity to understand what is proposed, the risks involved, and how to effectively have your say during that short exhibition period.

Community meeting details:
• Tuesday 17 February, 6–7.30pm – Katoomba Town Centre Arcade (Dining Room)
• Saturday 21 February, 10–11.30am – Katoomba Town Centre Arcade (Dining Room)
• Tuesday 24 February, 6–7.30pm – Springwood Sports Club

If approved, this development would override long-standing planning protections and set a precedent for similar developments across the Blue Mountains. Please attend if you can and encourage others to come along. A strong, informed community presence matters.

For background information and updates, visit: https://www.bluemountains.org.au/campaigns/Not-another-suburb-of-Sydney.shtml

Thank you for your continued support.

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Narrow Neck Development - Community Update

As the year draws to a close, we wanted to share an update on the proposed development at 142–150 Narrow Neck Road, Katoomba, and let you know how you can stay involved in the months ahead.

Over the past three months, we’ve been raising awareness within the community about this high-density proposal and the risks it poses. We are now preparing for the next critical stage.

The developer has until Thursday 26 March 2026 to lodge the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Once it is submitted, there will be a formal public exhibition period during which community members can make submissions.

To help everyone understand what’s proposed and how the process works, we will be hosting three community meetings in February, in Katoomba and Springwood. These meetings will provide an opportunity to discuss the development, the Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) pathway, expected timeframes, and how to prepare an effective submission. Details will be shared via our regular eblast and directly with this mailing list.

In the meantime, we continue to monitor several important developments, including recent amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, and the independent review of the HDA process following concerns about the use of unauthorised AI in assessments.

Our campaign has two clear goals. First, to stop this development, which is unsuitable for the site due to risks related to bushfire, traffic, and environmental impact. Second, to prevent it from setting a dangerous precedent for similar developments across the Blue Mountains.

We are calling on the NSW Government to exempt the Blue Mountains Local Government Area from the HDA pathway - just as it was exempted from the low- and mid-rise housing reforms in 2024.

To learn more, stay updated, and take action, click here.

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A Dangerous Precedent for the Blue Mountains

The NSW Government’s new Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) is being used for the first time in the Blue Mountains - to push through a high-density, multi-storey development on Narrow Neck Road, Katoomba.

If approved, this proposal would override decades of careful local planning, weaken hard-won environmental protections, and open the door to inappropriate developments across the Mountains.

The developer is seeking approval for nine four-storey buildings with 266 apartments, along with commercial outlets. The HDA’s ‘streamlined approval’ process is highly inappropriate in a bushfire-prone, environmentally sensitive area like the Blue Mountains.

We’ve launched a campaign calling for the Blue Mountains to be excluded from the HDA pathway. Together, we can stop this development from setting a dangerous precedent and protect the area for future generations.

To learn more, stay updated, and take action, click here.

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Blue Mountains exempted from housing reform

We were delighted by Minister Scully’s recent announcement that the Blue Mountains will be exempted from the low and mid-rise housing reforms.

The Minister’s exemption recognised that most residential land in the Blue Mountains is bushfire prone, and that there's an evacuation risk in many areas due to single road entry and exit points. The exemption also recognised that a strategic approach and technical studies would be necessary to appropriately manage an increase in dwelling capacity.

We'd like to thank everyone who signed the Open Letter and all those who wrote to the Premier voicing their concerns. Thanks also to Mayor Mark Greenhill and local member Trish Doyle for advocating on behalf of the community.

This is a wonderful result both for the environment and community.