Forestville, Arthur St: Shops saved from the bulldozer after apartment DA knocked back

A decision has been made on a bid by developers to bulldoze an old northern beaches’ neighbourhood shopping precinct and put up a three-storey block of flats.

A bid to bulldoze an old block of neighbourhood businesses on the northern beaches, to build a $3.55 million three-storey shop-top apartment block, has been rejected by planning authorities.

The developer wanted to knock down the centre in Arthur St, Forestville and replace it with four split-level apartments and four shops or offices.

An artist's impression of the proposed apartment redevelopment that would replace a block of shops on Arthur St, Forestville. Picture: Ramsay Architects

But the independent Northern Beachs Local Planning Panel voted unanimously to reject the development application because the design of the building, in the middle of a suburban precinct, did not fit in with the local area.

It also said the building was too high — 22 per cent over the local height limit — and too bulky.

The current one-storey building, on the corner of Duke St, accommodates six businesses including The Preview cafe; Forest Woodfire Pizza; Forest Chiropractic Centre; Forestville Martial Arts training studio and; Puppucino pet spa.

The neighbourhood shopping and business block on Arthur St, Forestville on Monday. A developer wants to demolish and replace with a three-storey block of shop-top apartments. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

In its judgment the planning panel agreed with an assessment report prepared by Northern Beaches Council officers that the proposed apartment building did not fit in with its surroundings.

“The contemporary design of the proposed development is out of place with the Forestville area and the streetscape with the unsightly large square frames that overwhelm all surrounding dwellings,” the report stated.

“The design is not sympathetic to existing houses in the suburb.

“(Its) excessive height, scale and massing of the development will result in unreasonable visual impacts to neighbouring properties and the streetscape as well as unreasonable impacts on the residential amenity.

An artist's impression of the proposed apartment redevelopment that council officers said would not fit in with the local area. Picture: Ramsay Architects

“All of these issues result in a proposed development that is an overdevelopment of the site.”

The current DA proposed four two-bedroom apartments on a split level on the top two floors.

But the council report stated that this would end up with a more than a 22 per cent breach to the 8.5m maximum height for the area.

The council officers also had issues with the landscape design and visual privacy with the proposed development having sightlines directly into kitchen windows, bedrooms and bathrooms as well as overlooking a neighbour’s backyard pool.

In a notice advising the developers — Chatswood-based Sarkis and Taline Gabrielian — that the DA had been refused, the council noted that “the proposal will create an undesirable precedent and be contrary to the expectations of the community” and was “not in the public interest.”

A location map of the proposed apartment redevelopment that would replace a block of shops on Arthur St, Forestville. Picture: Ramsay Architects

But local Grigor Riese, who made a public submission supporting the redevelopment, wrote that he was “disappointed at some of the comments from neighbouring residents suggesting that the development was not in keeping with our area”.

“I personally am delighted at the proposed development and investment in updated infrastructure for what is a dilapidated and run down shopping precinct.

“The resulting upstairs units are modest (not expansive) and in keeping with the area.”

The Manly Daily has left messages for Mr Gabrielian.