Narrabeen RSL: Property developer given go ahead to bulldoze ‘Razza’ to make way for housing estate

Planning authorities have given developers the go ahead to roll out the bulldozers to demolish what was once a beloved Sydney RSL club.

A property developer, who bought the financially troubled Narrabeen RSL club, at North Narrabeen, for $15.4m, has been granted approval to knock it down so the land can be subdivided for housing. Picture: Supplied

A property developer has been given the go ahead to bulldoze the beloved former Narrabeen RSL Club, famed for its live music and eclectic decor, to make way for a housing estate.

The Northern Beachs Planning Panel this week granted approval to the new owners of the site, in the backstreets of North Narrabeen, to demolish the complex that closed down three years ago.

Documents lodged with the development application revealed that the developer, who bought the 1.88ha block on Nareen Pde for $15.4m in October 2024, wants to clear land so it could eventually be subdivided for housing.

“The demolition works are a precursor to a separate development application proposing the residential subdivision of land,” according to a statement of environmental effects.

Narrabeen RSL Memorial & Recreation Club, known to locals as “The Razza”, was listed for sale in July, 2024, after it went into voluntary administration in 2022.

Narrabeen RSL had been struggling financially before it closed its doors in 2022. Picture: Supplied

Even though it had about 3500 members, the club, which opened in 1947, had been struggling financially after being smashed by repeated Covid lockdowns.

Despite looking at options such as renting the premises to another organisation, the owners of the premises, the Narrabeen RSL sub-branch — a branch of RSL NSW — decided to sell.

The sub-branch was the owner of the premises, not the club itself.

The 'Sunk' bar at Narrabeen RSL, was voted Best Bar on the northern beaches by Manly Daily readers. Picture: Narrabeen RSL

This masthead reported in February 2022 that the club, which had boasted a healthy live music and cocktail bar scene, had closed its doors “temporarily” because of poor turnover and a massive drop in patronage due to the pandemic.

In a message to members the club’s board of directors said, at the time, that it faced an “uncertain future”.

The club’s former general manger, Tracey Mihjalovic, predicted in March 2022 that the then Coalition state government’s ongoing restrictions on singing and dancing in clubs would also spell the end for the “The Razza” — which had become a popular live music and community hub.

As the result of the Covid Omicron wave, the club had to cancel live music events.

The ‘Razza’ was a popular hospitality options for locals. Picture: Narrabeen RSL

The club’s restaurant also had to close on occasion due to staff shortages caused by illness.

The club’s board of directors “temporarily” closed The Razza from February 6, 2022.

It went into voluntary administration soon after.

The site of the former Narrabeen RSL site at North Narrabeen that is proposed to become a residential subdivision. Picture: Supplied

In a statement released in March 2022, RSL NSW said that, as a charity, it had a duty of care to ensure that “optimal income is achieved from its assets so that it can continue to support and provide services to veterans and current serving members of the Australian Defence Force, and their families”.

The outdoors 'Sunk' bar at Narrabeen RSL. Picture: Narrabeen RSL

On Wednesday, the planning panel approved the demolition. It was told that the council had received 58 public submissions objecting to the work. Two submissions supported the demolition.

Many locals were worried about the impact the demolition would have on the environment. Picture: Narrabeen RSL Club

Locals raised concerns about the size of the future residential development on

the site, environmental impacts, increased truck traffic associated with the demolition work and possible flooding issues.

The panel issued a condition that, after the demolition, the site must be “maintained and secured” to protect the environment from any pollution, such as asbestos, “to avoid any adverse impacts on the surrounding area, and to ensure public safety”.

Originally published as Narrabeen RSL: Property developer given go ahead to bulldoze ‘Razza’ to make way for housing estate