Before the Gateway process at the moment is a planning proposal to facilitate extensions to the existing Hornsby RSL Club, a hotel, serviced apartments and shop-top housing along with a seniors living complex.

The proposal seeks to increase the building height permitted at 2 and 4 High Street to 38.5m (or 12-storeys) and 20.5m (6-storeys) at 7 – 19 Ashley Street and 2 – 4 Webb Avenue.

DPE issued a Gateway determination in August 2022, which identified several minor matters to be addressed, including transport and infrastructure improvements, solar access and overshadowing.

In May 2016, a planning proposal was submitted on behalf of Hornsby RSL Club to increase building heights and permit residential flag buildings as an additional permitted use at the existing RSL premises at 4 High Street and at the RSL Community Car Park at William Street.

The proposal also sought additional building height for a senior’s living development on the RSL-owned land in Ashley Street and Webb Avenue in Hornsby.

Following a Gateway Determination in June 2017, the proposal was amended and exhibited in early 2018.

Council’s post-exhibition assessment identified that traffic related issues were unresolvable in isolation.

The RSL subsequently requested withdrawal of the proposal in May 2019 and in August 2019, Council resolved not to proceed and to include the RSL concepts in the Hornsby Town Centre Review.

The current proposal on exhibition no longer proposes the residential flat building additional permitted use due to changes in the shop top housing land use definition associated with DPE’s employment zone reform program.