Frenchs Forest: High school won’t move to old council tip

There is more frustration for residents, who are still awaiting a decision on when rezoning plans for the Frenchs Forest town centre will be released. Now they’ve been hit with a new twist.

A high school will not be moved to the park next to the Warringah Aquatic Centre as part of a proposed rezoning plan to create a new Frenchs Forest town centre.

NSW Government planning officials have ruled out relocating The Forest High School to Aquatic Reserve — built on an old council tip — just off Aquatic Dr.

There are concerns that the land, now used as baseball fields, may subside.

Locals rally in 2017 against the possible demolition of the Warringah Aquatic Centre. Picture: Adam Yip

And the impact on the sensitive Manly Dam catchment, as well as land clearing, were also seen as potential problems.

The rejection of the Aquatic Reserve location comes despite the Northern Beaches Council’s “Hospital Precinct Structure Plan” stating that the park would accommodate an “educational establishment” and that this would “facilitate the relocation of The Forest High School to create a state-of-the-art recreation and education precinct”.

The Precinct Structure Plan was adopted by the council in 2017 to act as the framework for land use planning at Frenchs Forest for the following 20 years.

The council has been in talks with the NSW Government over the rezoning of part of Frenchs Forest to create a new town centre next to the hospital, which includes more than 4300 high-density homes to be built by 2040.

Relocating the high school is crucial to allow rezoning for the precinct that would buildings up to 12 storeys high.

Relocating The Forest High School is crucial to the proposed creation of a new town centre at Frenchs Forest. Picture: Manly Daily

But residents and developers have been waiting on the Department of Planning to release the final draft plan for the town centre since March 2018. The first draft was exhibited in 2016 after authorities first mooted the idea in 2010.

Householders are keen to know the extent of rezoning because it effects decisions about whether they stay in the area or sell to developers.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes said in July 2019 that final rezoning details would be released by the end of 2019, but in December 2019 the Planning Department said they be would exhibited some time in 2020.

An artist’s impression of the proposed high-density residential precinct near the Northern Beaches Hospital. Picture: Supplied

This week the Planning Department said it was still working, with the support of the Education Department, to “procure a site in the (school) catchment area to relocate The Forest High School and allow plans for Frenchs Forest Town Centre to proceed to public exhibition”.

It confirmed, however, that Aquatic Reserve had been discounted as a possible site.

A Department of Education spokesman said it, too, was still in talks with the council and Planning about the Town Centre masterplan “to ensure that the long-term educational requirements of the Frenchs Forest area are met”.

“The Department is currently investigating potential options for the possible relocation of The Forest High School,” the spokesman said.

An artist’s impression of the proposed new residential neighbourhood near Northern Beaches Hospital. Picture: Supplied

“Investigations have included a review of demographic trends, catchment boundaries, educational requirements, play area space, site sizes, transport links, partnership opportunities, and environmental considerations.”

A resident who lives on the edge of the area to be rezoned told the Manly Daily on Tuesday that the “gazetting of the precinct plan is years overdue”.

“As far as we are aware the Education and Planning Departments have still not resolved the fundamental issue of where to put the high school.

“Ten years is too long to keep the impacted community in limbo. It is high time for Gladys

Berejiklian to get her ministers together in an office to sort this mess out once and for all.”