Frenchs Forest boarding house will “dwarf” houses say residents who also oppose traffic

A TOWN planner is leading opposition to a boarding house which he says will dwarf neighbouring houses, create congestion and damage residents’ quality of life.

Residents are opposing a boarding house in Frenchs Forest over traffic and parking fears.Picture: Braden Fastier.

A TOWN planner is leading opposition to a boarding house which he says will dwarf neighbouring houses, create congestion and damage residents’ quality of life.

Richard McClenahan said the application for a 24-room, two-storey building at 31 Forest Way in Frenchs Forest, which could house up to 48 people in studio-style rooms was “over the top” for the area.

It will only have six car spaces, which residents say is not enough in their already­ congested street.

McClenahan, who runs his own business and lives in nearby Wareham Crescent, said the council should refuse it as it was out of character for the area. “The council isn’t standing up for residents,” he said.

“The development will be three times the size of a large house – on a single block.

“The main concern is the overdevelopment of the site and the parking problems. It’s over the top,” he said.

Other residents say the development­ might attract workers at the new Northern Beaches Hospital who would have cars which they would park on their street.

The application is just the latest boarding house to be opposed by residents. Hundreds have made submissions against one in Cromer.

Warringah Council Development and Compliance Services group manager David Kerr said boarding houses were allowed­ in the Low Density Residential zone (R2) the site came under as part of the local area plan. He said: “The R2 zone covers the majority of the Warringah Local Government Area for areas where single dwelling houses are the predominant development type. Council had no choice than to accept boarding houses as a permissible use when the new LEP was made.”