Northern beaches boarding houses: Multiple ‘new generation’ plans proposed

Elevated mini pods for two with private decks, are being billed as a solution to affordable housing on the northern beaches.

Three “new generation” boarding houses providing combined accommodation for up to 120 people are being proposed for the northern beaches – with some even boasting covered terraces or mini balconies.

They include a $5m, four-storey, 39 room project in Condamine St, with a capacity of 78; a $2m development on The Circle, Narraweena for 22 residents; and plans for a $900,000 build for up to 20 people in Pittwater Rd, North Manly.

They come with their own kitchenettes and bathrooms and some have podium level decks, small balconies or roofed terraces.

Lisa Novak, a northern beaches real estate agent.

Lisa Novak, a northern beaches real estate agent not connected with any of the proposals, said people associate boarding houses with “big, ugly, decrepit buildings”, but the new designs are nothing like that.

“Boarding houses are a dirty word,” Ms Novak said.

“But these new generation boarding houses are miniature apartment blocks.

“There’s high demand for them from young professionals who need something clean and tidy and affordable.”

However, some residents close to the sites are not happy with the size of the proposed developments, or the location.

John Koorey, of Bower St in Manly, said the Condamine St development, next to Freedom Furniture, gives “new meaning to overcrowding”.

Mr Koorey, who owns nearby properties, said previously the site had been a two-bed house and then a TV repair shop. Now 39 double rooms are being proposed.

He said the lack of parking – seven car spaces for the development – raised concerns too.

The proposal is for the accommodation to be split into two pavilions with an internal courtyard in between.

They all have their own kitchen and bathroom and some have balconies.

A Northern Beaches Council report was not in support of the application because of design concerns.

The plans will be determined by the council’s development assessment team, or referred to the independent Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel if there are more than 10 objections.

Meanwhile, Krystal Barter, a resident close to the Pittwater Rd proposed boarding house said this “type of development isn’t necessary”, and is just trying to fit as many people as humanly possible in one development”.

A new generation boarding house is being proposed at 532 Pittwater Rd, North Manly, which comprise of two-storey semi-detached pods with decks. Picture: Supplied / Northern Beaches Council.

The two-storey mini units designed for two are 19sq m in size, excluding kitchen and bathroom. A compact staircase provides access to a second level where the sleeping area is located. The design also manages to squeeze in a laundry, wardrobe and a desk.

They are described in the development application as “a series of elevated semi-detached pods” each with “semi-enclosed decks”.

The accommodation is billed as providing “low cost, flexible, rental accommodation to a wide range of tenants, particularly singles, retirees, working singles, students and young couples”.

A new generation boarding house is being proposed at 532 Pittwater Rd, North Manly, which comprise of two-storey semi-detached pods with decks. Picture: Supplied / Northern Beaches Council.

However, the application is not being supported by council due to concerns over the design, in particular, “habitable room head height; vertical head height above nosings of the stairs and head height of the sleeper platform”.

A third development application is for a two-storey proposal for Narraweena.

A council report found that the boarding house was “against character of local area”, but was supported because it was “appropriately scaled”.

Peter Higgins, a resident of The Circle, wrote that the development “is not in keeping with the local community which is fast becoming an area for people with young and schoolchildren”.

A decision is yet to be made on the three proposals. The public are invited to provide submissions.

During the assessment process, applications for boarding houses are referred to the council’s Design and Sustainability Assessment Panel for advisory comment together with other internal and external referral bodies.

If an application attracts more than 10 submissions onjecting to the proposal then the application, once assessed by council’s Development Assessment team, is referred to the independent Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel for determination.

However, if the application attracts less than 10 submissions in objection to the proposal, then the application may be determined by the Development Assessment team under delegated authority.

There are no details in the development applications as to how much the rooms will cost to rent, but other boarding rooms on the peninsula start at around $300 a week.

The Manly Daily has attempted to contact the property owners.