A property occupied by Spotlight in Bondi Junction could be investigated as a potential site for a new public high school, as disagreement over school capacity and housing growth continues across Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Read: Bondi Junction Set for Major Transformation After Master Plan Wins Approval
The proposal centres on 65 Ebley Street, where Waverley Council currently leases the property to the craft retailer. A motion put forward by Cr Joshua Spicer seeks a preliminary assessment of whether the site could accommodate a secondary school, including a multi-storey design suited to the area’s limited land availability.
However, the proposal has not yet secured council support. The matter was deferred at the October 20 meeting and is scheduled to return for consideration on November 17, according to the meeting record.
The delay leaves an important question unresolved: how should the eastern suburbs provide for a growing population when the need for another public high school remains contested?
Housing growth adds pressure to education debate
Spender and Sloane have both backed the push for another public secondary school, arguing that families need greater access to government-funded education close to home.
Their concerns come as Waverley’s adopted Bondi Junction Master Plan identifies potential for approximately 3,000 additional dwellings across the town centre. The strategy was adopted on July 21, 2026, although further planning work and changes to local planning controls are still required.
A separate NSW proposal for the Edgecliff-Woollahra precinct could enable approximately 9,400 additional homes. The draft rezoning includes higher-density development around existing and proposed railway stations, with the state now considering submissions received before the October 30 closing date.
The combined scale of the two proposals has strengthened calls for education infrastructure to be considered alongside residential development. Spender has previously highlighted the difference between public primary and secondary school participation in the Wentworth electorate, arguing that affordability pressures and the cost of private education are contributing to the need for more local public school places.
Sloane has also questioned whether the NSW Government’s housing ambitions are being matched by adequate school planning. She has called for the release of enrolment demand and capacity modelling so families can better understand the area’s future education needs.
State Says Another School Is Not Immediately Needed
The State has challenged the argument that another public high school is required in the short term. Planning Minister Paul Scully has maintained that the Education Department was consulted during preparation of the Edgecliff-Woollahra rezoning proposal and had indicated existing schools could accommodate projected demand in the short to medium term.
Coogee Labor MP Marjorie O’Neill has also argued that current public school capacity is sufficient for expected growth over that period. She has raised concerns about the Ebley Street property’s suitability, particularly its limited provision for active outdoor space and its ability to satisfy departmental site-selection requirements.
Read: Community Questions Shape Debate Over Bondi Junction Vision and Master Plan
The competing positions have made updated enrolment projections central to the dispute.
According to the proposed council motion, Waverley had requested updated school-demand and capacity modelling from the Department of Education on June 24, taking planned housing growth into account. The motion’s supporting material said the information had not been received by the October 20 meeting. This detail is drawn from unconfirmed meeting minutes and requires confirmation against the final council record.
What could happen to the Spotlight property?
The proposed assessment would examine whether 65 Ebley Street warrants further investigation as a potential school location, rather than commit the property to that purpose.
Cr Spicer has argued that building upwards could offer a practical way to accommodate a school in a densely developed area where large conventional school sites are difficult to secure.
The assessment would also consider the site’s accessibility, proximity to public transport and open space, possible student capacity, planning constraints and financial implications. Other potential sites in Bondi Junction could also be considered.
What the Deferred Council Motion Seeks
- Assess 65 Ebley Street as a possible public high school site.
- Examine whether a vertical school design could work.
- Consider transport access, open space and potential student capacity.
- Investigate planning, operational and financial implications.
- Seek engagement with NSW education authorities.
- Consider other potential sites in Bondi Junction.
The proposal remains subject to council consideration. The motion was deferred to November 17, 2026. No school development has been approved.
The November 17 meeting will be an important step in determining whether the preliminary investigation proceeds. Even if councillors support the motion, further assessment, consultation and engagement with the Education Department would still be needed before any school development could be considered.
The outcome could help families across the eastern suburbs understand whether the Spotlight property has the potential to expand local public secondary school options.
Published 7-November-2026
