Plans for new $57m budget hotel at Frenchs Forest

The northern beaches' tourist and business traveller accommodation shortage could be eased with a major hotel chain revealing plans for a 146-room development at Frenchs Forest.

An artist's impression of a proposed 6-storey, 146-room hotel, at Frenchs Forest. Picture: Supplied

In a boost for tourists and business travellers to the northern beaches, plans for a 146-room hotel — offering “budget accommodation” — at Frenchs Forest have been revealed.

The proposed six-storey building, within walking distance of Northern Beaches Hospital and several corporate business parks, won’t have a bar or restaurant.

But its developers, the Endeavour Group, which operates Australia’s largest bottle shop network (Dan Murphy’s and BWS) and a massive portfolio of pubs, wants to build it on vacant land behind its Forest Hotel and Dan Murphy’s outlet on Frenchs Forest Rd East.

If approved by planning officials, the $57m development will be operated by ALH (Australian Leisure and Hospitality) Group, Endeavour’s accommodation arm, which owns more than 350 pubs across the country.

ALH also operates Nightcap and Nightcap Plus hotels at more than 40 locations around Australia including at the Narrabeen Sands Hotel as well as Pymble, Regents Park, Eastwood and Caringbah with rooms going for as low as $119 a night.

An artist's impression of the proposed 7-storey hotel that was planned for Frenchs Forest Rd East at Frenchs Forest. That DA was withdrawn. Picture: Cayas Architects

On its website Nightcap Hotels states that it offers “budget accommodation” and that it has a “range of great value accommodation near Sydney”.

The Frenchs Forest hotel will also offer a “self check-in option” and free Wi-Fi.

An artist's impression of a 6-storey, 146-room hotel, at Frenchs Forest. Picture: Supplied

Charter Hall Funds Management, which owns a number of commercial properties on the northern beaches, including the Rodborough Road Business Park at Frenchs Forest, supports the hotel application.

In his letter to Northern Beaches Council, Charter Hall managing director David Harrison wrote that many of its business park tenants have visitors that travel from interstate and overseas “with a high demand for conveniently located short-term accommodation”.

Mr Harrison pointed that nearest hotel accommodation was the Mercure Manly Warringah at Brookvale, Narrabeen Sands Hotel, or Checkers Resort & Conference Centre at Terrey Hills “which are quite some distance away”.

“The proposed 146-room hotel … is conveniently located and will assist in meeting this demand to support local businesses,” he wrote.

An artist's impression of a 6-storey, 146-room hotel, at Frenchs Forest. Picture Supplied

Endeavour Group lodged the application last month to modify the original DA for a hotel or motel on the site approved in 2018. A subsequent DA for a 149-room 7-storey hotel, with an eatery and a bar, on a different part of the site, was withdrawn in 2022.

It a statement of environmental effects lodged with the latest application, a planning consultant for Endeavour Group confirmed that the proposed new hotel “will not serve alcohol to guests and does not contain a bar or restaurant”, but would have a gym, boardroom and 297 car spots.

“The modified development … facilitates the provision of additional tourist and visitor accommodation in proximity to the Northern Beaches Hospital, the future Frenchs Forest Town Centre and the wider community, including tourist visitors,” according to the statement.