Warriewood: Rare farmhouse to be knocked down for glamorous housing estate
A controversial $3.7m Warriewood development proposal has returned to the council, with the developer’s now seeking to demolish an old farmhouse.
Manly
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A rare example of an old farmhouse which once overlooked orchards is set to be demolished after $3.8m development plans went back to the drawing board.
The developer is looking to establish a modern and luxurious new estate made up of detached houses, a unit block and community land for recreation purposes.
It has attracted a number of objections from residents who’ve written to Northern Beaches Council citing concerns over the demolition of the existing house, traffic and bushfire risk.
It comes after the original development proposal for 81 dwellings across the 5.678ha site in Warriewood, was knocked back by the council in 2015.
The developer appealed the council’s decision in the NSW Land and Environment Court and the plans for 8 Forest Rd were approved.
More recently the developer submitted amended plans to the council which included demolishing the former farmhouse which could have been built between 1914 and 1930.
It was set to be retained in the original proposal but the developer listed problems, such as, potential asbestos contamination, vandalism and challenges in fire protection.
A report made on behalf of the developer states while the house is not heritage listed, the sandstone foundations will be reused for “a benched area for passive recreation”.
Kirstin Zinndel, a former tenant who lived there between 2011 and 2017 said she has been trying to get the house heritage listed for years.
“Since 2015 when it was going to be sold I tried to get the council to put a heritage order on it but they were reluctant,” Ms Zinndel said.
“The first DA had a condition that the house was to remain and now they want to tear it down. It should be restored and kept as a good example of what buildings used to be here. “There’s probably only one or two left and it was in a liveable condition just a few years ago.”
She said long time Warriewood residents may know the house as “the Wilson house” or as “Oaklands”.
“The problem is kids have gone in more recently and vandalised it. The council has written to the owners saying they need to protect the house but the construction site wasn’t fenced.”
Ms Zinndel has created a petition opposing the demolition of the house which has received more than 400 signatures.
The amended proposal also seeks Torrens title subdivision of the existing allotment to create three lots.
Instead of 66 residential units across four apartment blocks and 14 townhouses, the new plans include a community lot with a recreation area, 17 detached houses and a lot for a future apartment block with 64 units.
Resident Kelly Hammond said the area already suffered from traffic problems.
“This entire west end of Jubilee Ave is usually blocked but becomes totally gridlocked at end of day,” Ms Hammond said.
“It’s in a designated bushfire area and is also noted as flood prone - all traffic has to cross a small narrow bridge which is often under water during storms.
“I believe that any development in this pocket would be putting residents lives at risk. The single access point would make it impossible to evacuate residents and businesses in any emergency situation.”
Resident Kerri Muir cited similar views.
“The traffic at Jubilee Ave is a nightmare around peaks as it is, let alone adding an extra 80 dwellings,” Ms Muir said.
“At present the DA doesn’t have access through Forest Road, only over our little bridge which will create a massive bottleneck into Jubilee Ave.
“There is very little infrastructure in the immediate area as it is. The buses along Macpherson Street have recently been reduced.”
If the development is approved it will involve rehabilitation works for the 25 metre Narrabeen creekline corridor, an extended cycleway and construction of a private road for the new community establishment.
Attempts have been made to get in contact with the developer.
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