A group of Belrose residents has found themselves fighting a development application anew, over two vacant properties on Wyatt St, next to John Colet School.
In 2019, residents heavily opposed the development proposal for a 27-room boarding house along 14 Wyatt St (DA2018/0401), They cited that the plan was an overdevelopment and was not in keeping with the “quiet family character” of the community. Belrose is a low-density residential site with a 12-room maximum for such an establishment.
The locals also opposed the project due to its potential impact on the biodiversity of its surrounding bushlands. In its submission to oppose the DA, Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment stated that these native bushlands have “complex ecosystems and wildlife corridors” that could be ruined by excessive development.
In April 2019, Northern Beaches Council rejected the DA for 14 Wyatt Ave citing that the proposal failed to comply with the requisite housing density standard despite a series of pre-lodgement meetings conducted since 2017.
In January 2021, the Land and Environment Court upheld the rejection of DA2018/0401 to construct the boarding house.
However, in October 2020, the developers appealed and submitted amended plans under DA202/0996 for 14 Wyatt Ave as well as DA2021/1039 for 16 Wyatt Ave. The house along 16 Wyatt Ave will also be knocked down to accommodate two large buildings at least three to four stories high. The proposal estimates that the boarding house will be able to accommodate 160 people.
Residents, once again, took exceptions to the plans that will include “changes in the landscaping of a non-urban property.”
The developer, however, said that the amendments “do not change the number, size, design or location of the boarding rooms, or the range, number, location and nature of the communal facilities.” The proposed amendments also do not make changes to the intensity or impacts of the development.
Northern Beaches Council opened the notification period for these amendments on 13 July 2022. Residents have until Wednesday, 27 July 2022, to file their submission.
