Neighbours’ worries about noise halt plan for 350 more outdoor seats on roof at Manly Wharf
The El Camino and Sake restaurants at Manly Wharf have withdrawn plans for 350 more outdoor terrace seats amid noise concerns by neighbours.
Manly
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A plan to allow more than 350 extra seats on the roofs of the Mexican and Japanese restaurants at historic Manly Wharf has been halted by a community backlash.
Neighbouring residents and businesses fought against allowing more outdoor dining at El Camino and Sake amid concerns it would lead to a spike in noise and traffic as well as spoil views of the heritage-listed site.
Restaurant conglomerate, the Rockpool Dining Group, was hoping to make room — another 995 sqm — on the rooftop terraces for 193 more patrons at Sake and 164 at El Camino.
It withdrew the application on January 16.
Northern Beaches Council’s own traffic and environmental officers did not support the DA, which included allowing the outdoor terraces to remain open until 10pm.
Even the Manly Business Chamber opposed the plan because it said increased seating capacity would cause a “bottleneck” at the wharf.
“The vision for visitors alighting the ferry is to encourage dispersion throughout Manly,” it said it a written submission.
“With a large number of hospitality outlets throughout Manly, we are eager to ensure large groups are not congregating at this gateway.”
The chamber also said that “the garish neon pink, yellow and red signage of El Camino clash with everything around it”.
“We do not believe this is in keeping with the vision of the wharf complex and we believe any further addition to this would be in poor taste as the first impression for people visiting Manly.”
The withdrawn plan included building a mixed concrete block wall and mesh fence barricade, and “festoon lighting” at El Camino.
At Sake, the works would have inckuded shade structures, a water feature, an elevated deck and two cabanas.
Council’s Environmental officials had concerns with the plan because it “does not address sufficient toilet provisions for the increase in seating and previous investigations of the Manly Wharf precinct would suggest that public toilets are already close to capacity.”
Traffic officials at the council were worried that there was “no increase in parking either for staff, customers”.
The NSW Government’s Department of Premier and Cabinet did not support the DA either.
Its senior heritage assessment officer, Tempe Beaven, wrote that “the impacts of the proposed works including the cumulative impact on views from the heritage item are likely to have a detrimental impact on the significance of the item”.
The Good for Manly Association objected due to the noise impact on residents
“Given their large size and layout it can be assumed that these spaces will be used primarily for drinking, with dining to occur within the indoor areas,” its submission said.
A resident wrote that late-night noise already coming from licensed premises on Manly
Wharf was “excessive, offensive and unacceptable to the extent where we need to
close our balcony doors and windows to keep out the noise”.
Another neighbour wrote: “Manly doesn’t need anymore large volume seating establishments where patrons over consume alcohol, leaving the premises in a roundly drunken state.”
Rockpool Dining Group has been contacted for comment.