What is changing?
These new planning reforms are the most significant in decades. They aim to increase housing supply and speed up delivery. Under the new low and mid rise housing policy, areas within a 10 minute walk of 9 key town centres will allow a broader mix of housing, including duplexes, terraces, townhouses and apartment buildings up to 6 storeys.
What areas are affected?
Dee Why, Forestville, Manly, Manly Vale, Mona Vale, Frenchs Forest, Balgowlah Stockland, Forest Way shops and the Brookvale shopping precinct.
What will this really look like?
The NSW Government has set Council a target of 5,900 new homes over 5 years. Most of these will be across the 9 town centres. In areas already zoned for apartments, we may see slightly taller buildings up to 6 storeys. In low density streets, it could mean 2 homes where one used to be or small rows of townhouses or terraces. Most developments will still need a DA, but if proposals meet State set standards, Council has limited power to refuse them.
What is Council’s stance on the reforms?
We support more housing choice and more affordable homes, but a one size fits all approach is not good for our area. New development should be well designed, fit a suburb’s character and be supported by adequate infrastructure.
Talking infrastructure, what concerns you most?
More developments mean more pressure on roads, public transport, schools, health services, parks, and stormwater systems. We’ve long advocated for major projects like the East-West rapid bus link, connecting Brookvale to Chatswood, and the Northern Beaches Tunnel, critical to managing growth but remain undelivered. We’re calling on the NSW Government to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with housing, not lag behind.
Ok, you’re advocating for the community, but what else?
We’ve updated our Development Control Plans (DCP) to strengthen expectations for high quality design, landscaping, setbacks, environmental performance and heritage conservation. We’re reviewing the additional infrastructure needed to support the extra growth from the Government’s housing reforms and proposing an LGA wide affordable housing contribution. We are planning for more EV charging, stormwater upgrades and improved public spaces. Finally, we’re combining our planning controls into one local environmental plan and DCP to provide our community with a clearer, simpler and fairer set of planning rules.
When big developments skip Council, what power do you have?
State government has made it easier for big developments (with over 100 homes and costing over $60 million) to skip Council entirely. These are assessed by government with shorter consultation periods and no requirement to follow local rules. But we will not sit back. Just as we did with the proposed 39 storey towers at Warringah Mall and the seniors housing project in Narrabeen, we’ll advocate on behalf of our community for better planning outcomes.
What is Council doing to address the affordable housing crisis?
Council has proposed an affordable housing contribution to deliver affordable housing. This means new development will need to either dedicate units as affordable housing or pay an equivalent monetary contribution to assist supply. If approved, it would be the first time a Council has introduced an affordable housing levy in the low and mid-rise areas, delivering hundreds of affordable homes for our teachers, nurses, childcare workers and other essential workers.
*To learn more, visit the Beaches’ Council website here*