North Steyne, Manly: Church school opposes DA for posh flats because of playground shadows

Plans for a high-end beachfront apartment block has caught the ire of a Catholic school, which has argued it would leave a playground in shadow as well as take away from the character of the area.

An artist's impression of a proposed five-storey apartment block redevelopment at 61 North Steyne, Manly, looking south towards the Manly CBD. Picture: Plantation Architects

The Catholic Church is in a row with a developer over a $9 million plan for posh beachside flats near its school on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Concerns that the proposed five-storey block will cast massive shadows over the playground of nearby St Mary’s Catholic Primary School at Manly have prompted the complaint.

There are also community concerns that the redevelopment of the 98-year-old two-storey block of flats now on the site — one of the last original apartment buildings on the beachfront — will take away from the area’s heritage atmosphere.

The building is not heritage listed.

A two-storey block of 98-year-old units at the corner of North Steyne and Denison St, Manly, which is proposed to be demolished to make way for a five-storey block of luxury beachfront apartments. There is a 15-storey building on the opposite corner. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

The development application (DA) to Northern Beaches Council to demolish the four “Buradoo” apartments — built in 1925 — at the corner of North Steyne and Denison St, has attracted 26 public submissions.

In its submission to a revised DA the developer recently lodged with the council, the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay, which includes the northern beaches, stated that it owns “substantial landholdings”near the site, including the school, St Mary’s Church and its presbytery.

St Mary's Catholic School, Manly. Church officials say the playground would be affected by shadows from the new development, in the mornings. Picture: Supplied

It says the height of the new building, which will contain five luxury apartments, breaches local planning guidelines by at least one-storey.

The Diocese stated that the “non-compliant height does not reflect the desired future character of the locality” and that “sufficient planning grounds had not been provided to support the height exceedence”.

“It is anticipated shadows associated with the non-compliant height will fall onto the main

open space of the primary school, adjacent to Francis Lane, and the Parish presbytery …

between 9.00am and 12.00pm.

An artist's impression of a proposed five-storey apartment block redevelopment at 61 North Steyne, Manly. Picture: Plantation Architects

“This would have detrimental impacts on the school site for both open play before the school day and at recess, and on the presbytery more generally.”

Owners of units in neighbouring blocks have complained about losing their beach and ocean views

“All levels will lose the existing views to the northeast,” a joint submission from owners of the block at 59 North Steyne stated.

In her submission, Leisa Barry, who lives in another nearby block, stated that “we run the very serious risk of ending up like Surfers Paradise”.

A former Manly resident, Lindy Peters-Bell, told the council in her submission that “part of the charm of Manly is the beauty of the many art deco buildings, which are rapidly disappearing”.

An artist's impression of a proposed five-story apartment block redevelopment at 61 North Steyne, Manly, released in June 2023. Picture: Plantation Architects

“Please reconsider, whether you want Manly to look like another generic, Legoland.”

In its report, the council’s design panel said it was of the “view the noncompliances with planning controls do not result in a reduced impact on adjoining sites”, but suggested changes to the reduce the bulk and scale the block.

An artist's impression of a proposed five-story apartment block redevelopment at 61 North Steyne, looking east down Denison St. Picture: Plantation Architects

The development company, Lindsay Bennelong Developments, while acknowledging that the DA exceeded the height limit by three metres, said it believed the school playground would not be impacted by shadow from the block.

Its development director, Leigh Manser, said on Monday that permission has been granted in the past for numerous buildings to be built above height controls along North Steyne.

An artist's impression of a proposed five-story apartment block redevelopment at 61 North Steyne, Manly, showing its height in relation to neighbouring buildings. Picture: Plantation Architects

Mr Manser said a 15-storey building on the opposite corner of Denison St cast a lot more shadow on the school

“The block is crying out for redevelopment,” Mr Manser said.

“The existing apartments are not up to modern standards and the building itself is decaying.

“We’re moving with the times and modernising that corner.”

The DA is expected to be examined by the Northern Beaches Local Planning within the next two months.