Karl Stefanovic moves to appease furious neighbours

Today star Karl Sandilands has made a massive concession as he seeks to get back onside with his angry neighbours.

The neighbours are happy that Today breakfast host Karl Stefanovic and wife Jasmine are shrinking the size of their intended luxury Castlecrag residence.

The couple are seeking to remove the top floor while adding a small increase in the footprint of the home with “earth toned” facade.

There will only be a small reduction in its floor space ratio as the new plans have 254sq m gross floor space, down from the original 276sq m gross floor space intentions.

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The work on Karl Stefanovic’s property at Castlecraig.

There is a section 34 conciliation NSW Land & Environment Court conference scheduled for April 11 with Willoughby Council, in the latest twist in their four-year home ownership saga.

The initial design by the South Yarra-based Kennon Architects was lodged in March 2023 after the couple had paid $3.2m for the near-bushland property in March 2021.

The couple had a win in the court in March last year for the $4.5m three-storey house with basement.

The new plans would result in the number of bedrooms dropping from five to four.

The roofing is proposed to change from tiles to metal.

“Overall we welcome the modified DA plan that the owner proposes … to reduce impact on surrounding neighbours,” one neighbour told council.

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Karl and Jasmine Stefanovic. Picture: Kelly Barnes

The house will have a lift, wine cellar, television equipment room, plus surf, bike and tool storage room.

Council advised The Sell the estimated costs remained “approximately $4.5m” although council supplied no documentation confirming the advisory.

The 559sq m site is at its dusty excavation stage with a huge saw cutting through the sandstone with two Komatsu graders at work.

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Artist impression of what the home will look like. Picture: Supplied

Once this is out of the way.

The excavation has been described as “considerable” due to the 8.7m drop from the rear of the site to the front being undertaken by Harbourside Excavations and Demolition led by Orazio Parino.

It will be constructed by Enter Building Group led by Peter Oreb.

The couple, who have been renting nearby, retain a Sunshine Beach, Noosa, precinct mansion which cost $3.6m in 2019.

The elevated three-storey property, which boasts 180-degree ocean views, was briefly listed in 2022 with a price guide of $7.5m.

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