Careel Head Rd, Avalon: Health authorities fight to halt Dan Murphy’s bottleshop with childcare centre above it

A plan to put a childcare centre above a Sydney bottleshop has been blasted by health authorities, who say it will increase kids’ exposure to booze.

An artist's impression of a proposed redevelopment of the Careel Shopping Village, Avalon Beach, which includes a Dan Murphy’s liquor outlet, with a 60-place childcare centre above it on the first floor. Picture: CD Architects

Health authorities have blasted a proposal to put a childcare centre above an outlet for a popular bottleshop chain on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Dan Murphy’s, which would be the anchor tenant if the proposal is approved, wants to open a store as part of the $7.2m redevelopment of the Careel Shopping Village at Avalon Beach.

A development application lodged on behalf of the site’s owners also includes plans for an “early childhood education centre”, with room for 60 kids, on the first floor of the proposed building.

But NSW Health’s Northern Sydney Local Health District has urged the Northern Beaches Council and state government planners to reject the application amid concerns about its “health and social impacts”.

“The proposed DA would increase young children’s exposure to alcohol and alcohol marketing on a regular basis,” the health district’s director of population and planetary health, Paul Klarenaar, wrote in the submission.

A development application has been lodged to demolish and redevelop the Careel Shopping Village at Avalon Beach. Picture: Supplied

Mr Klarenaar also pointed out that there was evidence showing the relationship between exposure to alcohol marketing and increased youth drinking.

He stated there were already four existing bottleshops in the Avalon area and another under consideration.

An artist's impression of a proposed commercial redevelopment of a shopping centre in Careel Head Rd, which has attracted about 100 public submissions. Picture: CD Architects

The health district submission also provided statistics showing the Northern Beaches Council area had a “significantly higher rate of alcohol attributable hospitalisations compared to the rest of the state”, with 872 admissions per 100,000 people.

“This is 65 per cent higher than the NSW rate,” Mr Klarenaar wrote.

Since the development application was put on public exhibition in mid-September, the council has received about 100 submissions from locals worried about the impact of demolishing and redeveloping the small shopping centre on the corner of Careel Head and Barrenjoey roads.

In his submission, Jeremy Cox wrote that he was “very concerned about the incompatibility of the proposed liquor outlet with the daycare facilities proposed at the site”.

“Whilst a daycare (centre) is a community necessity another bottle shop is not,” he wrote.

Casey Merwood argued, in her submission, that “we do not need more bottle shops in Avalon”.

“And the parking for childcare would be a nightmare,” she added.

Emma Story wrote that a Dan Murphy’s outlet would be “just be so out of place”, saying there would be other businesses better suited to the location “that won’t destroy the charm of the community”.

NSW Health authorities are urging that the development application be rejected because of the proximity of the proposed first-floor childcare centre to the planned Dan Murphy’s liquor outlet. Picture: CD Architects

Details contained in a statement of environmental effects, lodged with the development application, showed that the plan included a total of four shops, including Dan Murphy’s and the childcare centre, in the two-storey building.

The document noted that the location of the childcare business would not breach a planning guideline related to proximity to licensed premises, such as pubs and clubs, where patrons could drink or gamble on site.

“It is clear that the guideline is not intended to apply strictly to a shop selling packaged liquor because that liquor is not consumed on the premise,” the document states.

Dan Murphy’s is part of the Endeavour Group, which describes itself as “Australia’s leading retail drinks and hospitality business” and which also has the BWS bottle shop chain and hundreds of hotels under its umbrella.

The Endeavour Group said on Tuesday that it prioritised responsible service of alcohol and compliance with all relevant regulations.

“We are committed to engaging with the Northern Beaches Council and NSW Health to address any concerns and to ensure that our operations align with community expectations and safety standards,” a spokesman said.

“Our goal is to leave a positive imprint on the communities we serve, and we will consider all feedback as part of our ongoing assessment of this development.”