Boathouse Group: Plans for Whale Beach expansion halted by noise, traffic concerns

Expansion plans of the popular Boathouse chain of eateries were halted after negative feedback from locals about noise and traffic. Now the site’s owners have revealed fresh plans.

The site of the former Ripples restaurant pictured this week at Whale Beach. It was targeted as a new Boathouse outlet, but a luxury home will be built there instead. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

A bid to expand the popular Boathouse Group of eateries on the northern beaches was halted after locals complained the new premises would be too noisy and create too much traffic.

One of the owners of the cafe and restaurant has confirmed the company had plans to take over the lease on the abandoned Ripples restaurant site at Whale Beach last year.

But property developer Ben Isaac, who with his brother Jono stepped in to save the financially troubled Boathouse Group in 2019, said a development application for the refurbishment of the waterfront site at 24 The Strand was withdrawn early last year.

Ripples at Whale Beach in its heyday. It closed in 2014, after five years’ trading, when its owner deemed it “no longer financially viable”. Picture: News Corp

Ripples closed its doors at Whale Beach in March 2014. The buildings — made up of a restaurant and adjoining kiosk and an outdoor eating area — had been empty since then and were falling into disrepair.

The Isaacs wanted to move the small Boathouse Whale Beach Deli, in nearby Whale Beach Rd into the larger premises, which is closer to parking and the beach.

“We initially looked at doing a Boathouse there and lodged a DA,” Mr Isaac told the Manly Daily on Monday.

An artist's impression of the proposed new Whale Beach Deli for the Boathouse Group on the site of the now demolished Ripples restaurant at Whale Beach. Picture: Supplied

“But following feedback from the locals, we subsequently withdrew our application as we were concerned about the impact of noise and traffic on surrounding neighbours.”

The DA for the $500,000 refurbishment, withdrawn in February last year, did not increase the size of the eatery, but did call for an extension of opening hours to seven days a week. The Boathouse Group wanted to open at 6am and closed at midnight from Thursday to Sundays.

Instead, work will begin in about two months, on a luxury two-storey beachside family home on the block, which has been owned by Joe Wehbe and his family for more than 20 years.

Mr Wehbe said he is friends with the Isaac brothers and that they approached him in 2019 and asked if they could lease the old Ripples restaurant buildings.

The property owner already had council approval to build a house on the land.

“I was ready to build, but they said they needed it for a bit and I was happy to help them out,” Mr Wehbe said. “But I’m building the house now. It’s full steam ahead.”

The old Ripples’ buildings have now been demolished.

An artist's impression of a private house to be built on the site of the now demolished Ripples restaurant and kiosk at Whale Beach. Picture: Supplied

The Isaacs, who own a property development company focusing on convenience retail projects such as service stations, fast food outlets and gymnasium, s stepped in to help keep the Boathouse Group afloat after growing debts and a wind-up action by the Australian Taxation Office, forced original owners Andrew and Pip Goldsmith to search out new investors.

Jono and Ben Issac, pictured outside The Boat House Shelly Beach, were keen to take over the abandoned Ripples site at Whale Beach. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Andrews.

It was sold to the brothers, part of a syndicate also made up of Ms Goldsmith’s father, former Liberal federal Trade government Minister Andrew Robb, and his wife Maureen.

The syndicate also includes two accountants.