Northern Beaches Council is seeking community input on a revised plan for the future of Brookvale, aiming to create a vibrant precinct that supports jobs growth in professional, industrial and creative businesses, provides more diverse housing options, improves the Pittwater Rd strip and increases community and green space.
A draft structure plan was released in 2017, identifying a need for more extensive traffic and transport analysis. The revised plan is informed by this analysis, as well as an employment study, community feedback and other significant changes such as the rise of people working from home and home-based businesses, and new policies on employment lands and housing.
The revised draft plan is designed to provide jobs and housing over the next 15 years including:
- Support for 975 new jobs including quality office space
- 5,000m2 of new public open space, greening and improvements to streetscapes
- 1,300 new homes, delivering more diverse housing options for the area
- A new town centre around the B-line stop
- 2,000-2,500m2 of community facilities including a new community centre in the proposed town square
- Improved pedestrian and bike connectivity throughout Brookvale.
The draft plan divides Brookvale into five sub-precincts, each with its own character, focus and proposed changes. CEO Ray Brownlee said the draft structure plan sought to maintain the diverse character of Brookvale while facilitating the growing demands for local jobs, industrial space, arts and creativity studios and housing.
“As local government we need to make sure we are not just meeting the needs of our population now but also planning for the future,” Mr Brownlee said. “Brookvale is already organically evolving. We’ve seen an amazing transformation in the last few years. This plan seeks to support and cultivate Brookvale’s new night-time economy, the micro-breweries, distilleries cafes, and emerging art and creativity sector. It proposes to maintain the industrial zones for local manufacturing sector, as well as recognise the need to keep the existing trade supplies hub and car showrooms.
“The Pittwater Rd strip is tired and needs investment and reinvigoration. The draft plan proposes a number of ways to attract that as well as meet the increasing need for quality office space to encourage home-based sole trader businesses into more professional environments where they can grow and hire staff. Plus, it proposes to provide more housing supply that young adults, downsizers and key workers can afford, all near the B-line transport hub to reduce traffic congestion.
“There is also a proposal for 5% affordable housing. That’s housing owned by Council in perpetuity, with rents controlled at a particular level so these households are able to meet their essential living costs. And to give the suburb a focus, a new town square is proposed behind the B-line stop with open space, community centre and outdoor dining.
“The draft plan is underpinned by rigorous traffic, transport, employment and housing studies and strategies and includes changes which address the feedback Council received during the last public consultation phase. It’s now up to the community to have a look at what is proposed and have a say.”