One of the last areas of Warriewood Valley is now being developed due to court rulings
Low-lying land in a northern beaches suburb is set to be developed for housing after developers went to court and got the green light for scores of homes — and there is an early indication of the scale of dwellings that can be expected.
Manly
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ONE of the last areas of Warriewood Valley is now being developed after owners appealed to the Land and Environment Court for permission to build more homes near Narrabeen Creek.
In the latest sale, an out-of-area developer paid $16.7 million for 2.15ha for 45 and 49 Warriewood Rd and it is believed he is keen to build 44 townhouses.
Land between the creek and Warriewood Rd was not earmarked for housing when the rest of Warriewood Valley was laid out in the 1990s as it was then deemed to be too close to a sewage treatment plant.
The plant has now been capped to minimise odours and Northern Beaches Council has been allowing development however some owners have been going to the Land and Environment Court to get a higher density on the land.
Five large parcels of land near the creek have since been approved for development, three of them by the Land and Environment Court.
It is believed the latest developer is expected to lodge a development application by the middle of the year.
Currently 88 residential lots and 130 aged care rooms have been approved for Warriewood Rd, not including the 44 townhouses.
Northern Beaches Councillor Kylie Ferguson said the density of housing in Warriewood had been steadily increasing because of the number of developers taking their applications to the court.
“It is frustrating because it is out of council’s hands,” she said.
Land in the 195ha valley can have up to 32 dwellings per hectare but that number is much lower in floodprone areas.
Michael Burgio, of Novak Properties, sold 45 and 49 Warriewood Rd in two weeks to the developer and said he had 100 others looking at the site, which had two old homes on it.
“Buyers from inside and outside the area are looking for strong areas to put their money,” he said.
“They are looking for strong, secure and steady growth. The northern beaches hasn’t got the highest growth but it has a consistent track record,” he said.
The site at 29-31 Warriewood Rd has approval by the Land and Environment Court for 40 houses.
Last year the Sydney North Planning Panel approved an aged-care centre with 130 sole occupancy, high-care rooms at 23-27 Warriewood Rd.
At No. 41 Warriewood Rd, 29 housing lots were approved last year, following agreement within Land and Environment Court proceedings.
And the court was also involved in the approval of 19 dwellings at 53, 53a and 53b Warriewood Rd.
Northern Beaches Council planning, place and community general manager David Kerr said council considered each parcel of land individually for development.
“Each parcel in this area has been provided a specific dwelling capacity and clear planning controls to guide future development,” Mr Kerr said.
“The properties on this stretch of land adjoin a creek that can flood. This is a known constraint that must be addressed at the development application stage.”
