Stoke Beach House: Bid for 130-bed backpacker hostel to be replaced with ‘high end’ flats

A push for a block of “high end” flats to replace a historic Sydney beach backpackers hostel has been revealed.

An artist's impression of a proposed shop-top apartment redevelopment of a backpacker's hostel in Raglan St, Manly. The site used to accommodate Manly’s first ambulance station. Picture: Supplied

A plan to bulldoze a historic northern beaches building, now used as a backpacker’s hostel and replace it with swish apartments, has been revealed.

Owners of the Stoke Beach House, a popular budget accommodation option for overseas travellers in the heart of Manly, want to demolish what used to be the suburb’s ambulance station for 50 years.

A $8.5 million development application lodged with Northern Beaches Council, shows that the Raglan St site, near Manly Oval, would be redeveloped into a four-storey “shop-top” unit block.

Carlisle Architects, described the proposed 10 apartments as “high end”.

The DA proposed to demolish of all the structures on the site, including the “interwar Mediterranean” building now housing the 130-bed hostel. The building includes a distinctive facade with arches around doors and balconies.

The Stoke Beach House backpacker hostel in Raglan St, Manly, near the intersection with Pittwater Rd. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

But local planning authorities have knocked back the plan, citing concerns including excessive height, density and the removal of an important local heritage item — the old ambulance station which operated from 1936-86.

It became the Manly Backpackers in 1989 and ended up as the Stoke Beach House in mid-2018.

The Raglan St ambulance station in 1936. Courtesy: Northern Beaches Library

Based on recommendations from council officers and its design panel, the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel has refused the DA.

The panel was advised that the proposed building, which would include a convenience store on the found floor and an underground car park, exceeded local height limits by 33 per cent.

It was described as an “overdevelopment of the site” by the council’s Design and Sustainability Advisory Panel.

Manly ambulance station in July 1988. Picture: Manly Daily

Manly Backpackers took over the site in the late 1980s. Picture: Martin Lange

Concerns were also raised by neighbouring residents about privacy and noise.

Nearby St Mary’s Catholic Primary School had issues with extra traffic generated by the redevelopment.

An artist's impression of a proposed shop-top apartment redevelopment of a backpacker's hostel in Raglan St, Manly. Picture: Supplied

An artist's impression of a proposed shop-top apartment redevelopment of a backpacker's hostel in Raglan St, Manly. Picture: Supplied

“Pedestrian safety is a key concern for the school both during operational and construction periods of the development,” wrote school principal Paul McGuire.

In 2019 the hostel made headlines when the school complained about a permanent sticker on one of its window, saying: “F*** PLANS FOLLOW YOUR HEART”.

Masking tape placed over an offensive word in a motif on the window of the Stoke Beach House in Raglan St, Manly. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

Police ordered hostel management to cover up the word.

In January 2021, the hostel was forced to close down for a lengthy period due to Covid restrictions. Owner Lachlan Paramor said at the time that his accommodation made up a third of the low cost tourism beds in Manly.

An appeal against the panel decision has been lodged an appeal with the NSW Land and Environment Court.

The owners of the site have been contacted for comment.