The draft Brookvale Structure Plan is currently on public exhibition. While it seeks to improve the suburb, some residents are worried the area will not cope.
Once labelled the industrial wasteland of the Northern Beaches, Brookvale has become one of, if not the, most up-and-coming suburbs on the Peninsula – and it’s about to boom.
Northern Beaches Council’s Brookvale Structure Plan, currently on exhibition, proposes a doubling of height limits in industrial zones, residential housing up to 12-storeys high, 1,300 new dwellings, rooftop parking and sportsfields, and a village ‘core’ around Aldi, between Warringah Mall and the B-Line bus hub.
ABOVE AND BELOW: Winbourne Road before and an artist’s impression of pop-up events at Winbourne Road following the structure plan’s implementation.
There are also plans for a ‘grade separation’ road, similar to the overpass by Northern Beaches Hospital, for the Pittwater and Warringah Road junction near Officeworks in Dee Why, to alleviate traffic.
The high-level ‘visionary’ plan looks at the big picture for the area in line with the State Government’s Greater Sydney Region Plan and Sydney North District Plan to manage growth.
The draft plan divides the traditional blue-collar suburb into five sub-precincts designed to invigorate Brookvale, providing jobs and affordable housing over the next 15 years.
Council says Brookvale will ‘be a vibrant, accessible and enlivened place, fulfilling its role as an employment-focused centre, supporting the local economy with opportunities that are proudly diverse, innovative and creative’.
But while some residents welcome the upgrade, others say there is not enough detail in the plan – moot points being traffic, parking, vehicle emissions, high-rise buildings, schools, health services, sustainability and a lack of green spaces.
Brookvale mum-of-two, Nicole Harrison, says, “Brookvale needs a facelift, but it doesn’t need to look like Dee Why with the high-rise buildings.
“Council’s survey was all pre-COVID, which doesn’t give a true reflection of what’s happening now with the cars and traffic.
“There aren’t enough free all-day parking spots as it is, and Pittwater Road is always congested.
“Plus, our schools and daycare are already bursting at the seams, and it’s almost impossible to get a same-day doctor’s appointment.”
However, other local residents, such as Ash Lawrenz, 33, says the industrial suburb is the perfect Peninsula spot to facilitate growth.
The structure plan includes diverse housing in Brookvale, including shop-top housing along Roger Street – depicted here before and after the plan.
“Our current housing crisis seems to be the shortage of housing stock, and whether people like it or not due to nimbyism, it’s difficult to open up new land for single dwelling houses,” he says.
“You’ve got to balance sustainability – no one wants to be clearing bushland for housing. The obvious solution is to use what you have and increase density in areas that are already well-serviced when it comes to facilities such as transport, employment, and industrial space.
“Brookvale has that right mix of space and facilities, and the height of buildings won’t be an issue as long as there’s enough green space and they’re not overshadowing anything.
“People found it challenging to adjust to development in Dee Why, but it’s invigorated the area.”
A significant number of young people are leaving the Peninsula due to affordability, and Mr Lawrenz says the draft
Brookvale’s Nicole Harrison is calling for more detail in the plan regarding traffic, congestion, and health services.
Brookvale Structure Plan should feature more means-tested affordable housing.
It currently proposes a five per cent housing affordability requirement, compared to Council’s minimum of 10 – which applies to housing owned by Council in perpetuity – with rents controlled at a certain level to allow for more diverse socioeconomic groups.
“Many young people can’t afford to stay here, especially when they get married and have children,” Mr Lawrenz adds.
“The cost of living in Sydney is high enough, without incorporating working two full-time jobs, childcare, huge mortgages, and soaring interest rates.
Pittwater Road will be invigorated, pictured here before and after the plan is implemented.
“Large-scale developments like this should have a significant portion of means-tested affordable housing.
“There’s no point throwing gleaming towers up if the prices are sky-high and continue the trend of pricing younger generations out of the area.”
Local resident Ash Lawrenz says Brookvale is perfect for development, provided there is ‘a significant portion of means-tested affordable housing’.
Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan tells Peninsula Living, “Brookvale has so much untapped potential and I agree one hundred per cent that traffic, transport, and congestion are the biggest issues that need to be resolved.
“We must do things differently, because the old ways clearly don’t work and add to the congestion.
“We know the Beaches Link Tunnel is delayed. In the meantime, the bus depot in Brookvale is being upgraded to be fully electrified.
“Infrastructure Australia last year prioritised Council’s plan to ease congestion through that corridor, starting with the intersection outside Officeworks in Dee Why with a grade separation road, like the one outside Northern Beaches Hospital.
“I’m also personally keen to explore significant open space opportunities within Brookvale and look at innovative solutions such as using rooftop carparks for playing fields – think hockey and netball.”
The draft Brookvale Structure Plan includes:
- A doubling of height limits in the east and west Brookvale industrial zones
- Residential housing up to 12-storeys high
- Support for 975 new jobs, including high-quality office space
- 1,300 new homes and more diverse housing options
- A new town centre around the B-Line stop opposite Warringah Mall
- 5,000m2 of new public open space, greening and improvements to streetscapes
- 2,000 – 2,500m2 of community facilities
- Improved pedestrian and bike connectivity
The Brookvale Structure Plan is available for community feedback until 28 February. Visit Northern Beaches Council’s Your Say webpage for more information.
By Ana Foxcroft