Forestway Shopping Centre: Frenchs Forest $114m redevelopment rejected

It’s been dragging on for more than two years, but a decision has finally been made about the $114 million redevelopment of a major, old Sydney shopping centre.

The proposed redevelopment of the popular 57-year-old Forestway Shopping Centre at Frenchs Forest has been knocked back by planning authorities. Picture: Supplied

The massive multimillion-dollar redevelopment of a popular 57-year-old shopping centre on the northern beaches has been knocked back.

Planning authorities found that among other things, the $114 million revamp of the Forestway Shopping Centre at Frenchs Forest was “not in the public interest”.

An artist’s impression of a section of the proposed redevelopment of Forestway Shopping Centre that has taken more than two years to finalise. Picture: Supplied

More than two years after the original development application (DA) was lodged with Northern Beaches Council, there were still concerns it would lead to local streets being clogged with traffic.

The developers, a multinational US-based investment company, Invesco Asset Management, bought it for $112 million in 2015. It wanted to demolish much of the centre — one of the largest on the northern beaches — which now accommodates Woolworths and Aldi supermarkets, a McDonald’s and 37 retail and hospitality outlets.

An artist’s impression of the western side of the proposed redevelopment of Forestway Shopping Centre where residents had deep concerns about traffic being directed along Grace Ave. Picture: Supplied

Invesco’s application included a doubling of carparking — 740 spaces — in the 2ha site near the intersection of Forest Way and Warringah Rd. It also promised there would be “enhanced food and beverage” including a large restaurant.

There would have been a childcare centre, a medical centre, a two-level basement car park and a gym as well as more shops and office space.

Plans, which sought an increase in height of the building, even included a public “skypark” open space area on the roof.

The proposed plans for a “skypark” on the roof of Forestway Shopping Centre. Picture: Supplied

But close to 100 public submissions were made to the council with residents expressing concerns about the development’s impact on traffic through residential streets, especially Grace Ave.

The council recommended to the independent Sydney North Planning Panel that it refuse the DA, citing “significant increase in traffic to the local residential road network”, “a shortfall in onsite parking” and “an inadequate front setback to the Forest Way frontage of the site”.

“(It) will result in a development which will create an undesirable precedent such that it would undermine the desired future character of the area and be contrary to the expectations of the community,” the council wrote in its assessment report.

“Approval of the application is not considered to be in the public interest.”

Forestway Shopping Centre was bought by a giant US-based investment company for $112 million in 2015. Picture: NSW Real Estate.

In its written reasons for refusing the DA, the planning panel said the developer did not provide enough “environmental planning grounds” for the height variation.

The panel also shared the council’s concerns about the “impacts of the significant increase in traffic on the local road network”.

The Manly Daily has contacted the developer for comment.