North Harbour Marina: Public push back could scupper upgrade plan

A bid to revamp a popular Sydney marina has sparked an avalanche of public submissions from locals worried that their tranquil waterway will be clogged with bigger boats.

North Harbour Marina in Balgowlah, wants to offer more berthing options for its boating customers and set up a kiosk in the marina building. The development application has attracted more than 300 submissions from the public. Picture: Addenbrooke

Community backlash could scupper a bid to revamp a popular marina on the northern beaches.

The property developer owners of North Harbour Marina at Balgowlah want to add nine more berths as well as set up a waterside kiosk on the site.

They also want to remove or relocate 14 swing moorings, which allow boats to be secured by its bow to a buoy and swing with the wind and tides, to create a wider navigation channel through adjacent Jillings Cove.

But when Northern Beaches Council opened the development application (DA) for public feedback it was swamped with more than 300 submissions, the majority opposed to the refurbishment of what was known locally as “Davis Marina”.

Concerns included potential environment damage due to an increase in the size and frequency of vessels in North Harbour to use the improved facility.

There were also complaints that moving the swing mooring to create the 50m-wide navigation channel would make the waterway less safe for kayakers and stand-up paddle boarders.

An artist's impression of the revamped North Harbour Marina, Balgowlah.

Other were worried about increased noise coming from the kiosk, with outdoor seating, to open at 6am. It would be open to the general public

In documents lodged with the DA, Addenbrooke – a property investment and development company – stated that “as the demand for the facility increases” it wanted to provide improved facilities for its customers by adding nine more berths of varying sizes.

Dinghys on the foreshore near North Harbour Marina, Balgowlah. Picture: Addenbrooke

Dinghys near north Harbour Marina, Balgowlah. Picture: Addenbrooke

North Harbour Marina, Balgowlah. Picture: Supplied

It also wanted to provide storage racks for 72 dinghys. Many of them were now left along the foreshore on the southern side of North Harbour.

The plan does not increase the footprint of the marina and the owners have agreed to limit the berth sizes to 15m in length.

The North Harbour Community Group has opposed the DA, saying there would be a “loss of amenity” for locals because of the impact on kayakers, stand-up paddle boarders and small one-person sailing boats that use North Harbour.

“Most of the people who are recreational users of North Harbour are local residents, while the people owning and sailing the large boats seeking to berth at North Harbor Marina are unlikely to be local residents,” according to the group’s secretary Terry Le Roux.

The building at the North Harbour Marina, Balgowlah. Picture: Addenbrooke

An artist's impression of the revamped North Harbour Marina, Balgowlah building, with a kiosk. Picture: Addenbrooke

Local Kerry Smallman submitted that the introduction of the kiosk would mean an increase in traffic and impact the “already inadequate parking situation” in the area around Gourlay Ave.

The marina owners have been contacted for comment.