An elite private school is edging closer to absorbing an entire public street in Cremorne into its expanding campus, sparking intense community debate over local parking and council finances.
Quiet property accumulation can change a suburb faster than anyone notices. Over nearly four decades, SCEGGS Redlands methodically acquired every single home bordering Monford Place, leaving the dead-end thoroughfare isolated from the surrounding transport grid.
With senior tuition fees climbing to substantial figures, leadership first approached local government in May 2021 with a straightforward proposition: purchase the land at market value and cover all administrative overheads. Why keep a stranded public strip when it serves only school-owned land?
Financial Strain and Council Reversals
Photo Credit: Google Maps
That argument fell flat when councillors rejected the initial bid two years ago. Yet financial reality has a way of altering political calculus. Facing a mounting infrastructure backlog hovering around $157 million alongside escalating operational costs, the local government quietly reopened negotiations.
Independent valuations are now complete and draft contracts sit on desks, though the exact sale price remains tightly guarded. Could a cash-strapped administration really afford to turn down a major financial injection?
Locals certainly think the price of losing public amenity is too high. Eighteen on-street parking bays line the cul-de-sac, offering critical relief for residents and patrons visiting nearby commercial strips. While internal reports debated whether students or shoppers used the spaces more frequently, the anxiety among neighbours is palpable. Statutory closure procedures will take up to two years to unfold, and any funds raised are legally locked into transport infrastructure upgrades. Will public consultation alter the trajectory this time, or is the street already gone in all but name?
Did you know that the Cremorne private school Redlands has been purchasing homes and properties surrounding its campus, and that they now wish to purchase Monford Place from the North Sydney Council?
In the past three years alone, Redlands, a private school in Sydney’s north shore, has made it their mission to purchase a series of homes and properties near their campus. After going on a multimillion-dollar spending spree, the school was able to obtain a grand total of 12 new properties — including residences in areas such as Military Rd, Monford Place, and Winnie St.
The school currently owns all the properties on Monford Place, and now they are vying to close Monford Place to the public. Redlands made an official request to the North Sydney Council to consider its potential for sale after meeting with them in February. If approved, the school will have to pay a $50,000 bond to bankroll an investigation into the potential road closure and sale process.
Redlands has purchased all properties in Monford Place, and now they’ve set their sights on buying the road. Photo credit: Google Maps
School representatives commented that the incorporation of the Monford Place Road into the school’s boundaries would help them develop a master plan for the site due to its increased flexibility. The Council is currently considering the school’s request, and in the event that their request is approved, the process would take at least 12 to 18 months to complete.
Redlands can be found at 272 Military Rd, Cremorne. For more information on the school, visit their website here. Follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and announcements concerning their bid to purchase the properties and roads surrounding their campus.
