Before we jump into a round up of development applications, let’s report from Thursday’s formal meeting on the proposed McDonald’s in Manly Vale/Balgowlah.
The Land and Environment Court’s attempt to broker a deal between McDonald’s and Northern Beaches Council kicked off on Thursday, 28 May.
The conciliation conference was held on site (37 Roseberry Street, Balgowlah – DA2025/0132) where around 70 residents showed up to demonstrate their objections to having a McDonalds restaurant in their neighbourhood.
To get you up to speed:
In February 2025, fast-food chain McDonald’s lodged a DA with Northern Beaches Council to construct a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week restaurant including a 15 car drive-thru and 26 space car park where Seven Miles Coffee is currently located.
In May 2025, McDonald’s altered its DA after almost 600 submissions against the application was submitted. Signage changed, as did operating hours (5am to midnight, Monday to Sunday).
In July 2025, the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel (NBLPP), the authority charged with reviewing the proposal, unanimously refused the DA.
Fast forward to Feb this year, McDonald’s appealed the decision in the Land and Environment Court (LEC).
Thursday’s conference was the first step in that appeal. Essentially, the conciliation conference is where the LEC attempts to bring the two parties together (McDonalds and Northern Beaches Council) to see if an agreement can be made. This can take anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on how negotiations go.
If an agreement is made, and it’s deemed lawful, LEC will sign it off. If no agreement is made, or the negotiations are going nowhere, the case will move to a formalised LEC hearing where the court will make a determination based on the evidence presented by both sides.
Six residents (as per the maximum allowed) presented their objections against having a McDonald’s restaurant bordering residential areas, and two residents allowed the Court access to their homes to demonstrate their concerns.
“Both Federal and State members said no, Council said no, the police said no, an independent panel said no, and 4,000 residents who signed a petition said no,” Manly Vale resident, Sarah Garland, said during her speech.
“With the State’s housing crisis, wouldn’t an apartment block be a better use of this land?”
Similar objections to what we’ve reported on were presented. These included the additional traffic a McDonald’s would bring to an already traffic-congested area. Noise, light and odour pollution were highlighted. As was the increase in anti-social behaviour for late-night Maccas runs (a topic mentioned by police in documentation against the development).
There was also the concern for safety, not only for pedestrians and a potential increase in road rage due to congested roads, but for e-bike riders. The location is between Balgowlah Boys and Mackellar Girls (two high schools) and residents said it would likely be a meeting point for e-bike riders on their way home. Another resident raised the addition of e-bike delivery riders. All who would use the narrow footpaths and cross busy roads.
Emergency services access to the area, both in and out, were emphasised. With an increase in traffic, should emergency services be needed, residents said there would be the risk of no way in. In addition, access for the Balgowlah Ambulance Station on Condamine St and Balgowlah Rd was highlighted due to traffic backing up along adjoining roads during peak hours, school drop-off and pick-up times, and weekends.
We’ll continue to monitor the case and update as new information develops.
Back to the regular Round Up…
A
144 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights – DA2026/0629
Exhibition Period: 01/06/2026 to 15/06/2026
Cost of Work: $1,430,000
Demolition works and construction of a house, including a swimming pool.
16 Buna Place, Allambie Heights – DA2026/0630
Exhibition Period: 28/05/2026 to 11/06/2026
Cost of Work: $429,400
Alterations and additions to a house.
15 Chisholm Avenue, Avalon Beach – DA2026/0635
Exhibition Period: 01/06/2026 to 15/06/2026
Cost of Work: $481,800
Alterations and additions to a house, including a swimming pool, garage, and cabana.
C
79 Cumberland Avenue, Collaroy – DA2026/0623
Exhibition Period: 28/05/2026 to 11/06/2026
Cost of Work: $731,500
Alterations and additions to a house, including a swimming pool.D
E
12 Cooleena Road, Elanora Heights – DA2026/0628
Exhibition Period: 01/06/2026 to 15/06/2026
Cost of Work: $137,500
Construction of a swimming pool.
122 Elanora Road, Elanora Heights – DA2026/0624
Exhibition Period: 28/05/2026 to 11/06/2026
Cost of Work: $924,000
Alterations and additions to a house, including a swimming pool.
F
127 Balgowlah Road, Fairlight – DA2026/0607
Exhibition Period: 01/06/2026 to 15/06/2026
Cost of Work: $9,900
Construction of a fence.
27 Kooloora Avenue, Freshwater – DA2026/0625
Exhibition Period: 29/05/2026 to 12/06/2026
Cost of Work: $87,340
Alterations and additions to a house.
N
42 Neptune Road, Newport – DA2026/0622
Exhibition Period: 01/06/2026 to 15/06/2026
Cost of Work: $220,220
Construction of a swimming pool.
116 Nareen Parade, North Narrabeen – DA2026/0617
Exhibition Period: 01/06/2026 to 15/06/2026
Cost of Work: $1,326,700
Construction of a house, including a swimming pool, on Proposed Lot 2.
Determined
29 – 33 Pittwater Road, Manly – DA2026/0063
Cost of Work: $13,200
Determined: 20/05/2026
Determination Level: Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel
Determination: Approved
NBLPP unanimously approved the change of use of the offices on the third floor of the existing building to residential apartments to create shop-top housing.
Physical changes to the existing building are minor, being confined to the addition of privacy screens between the proposed apartment in the north facing terrace. The privacy screens taper down to the existing parapet wall and will not be visible from street level. The proposed change of use from commercial to residential provides shop top housing which is permissible with development consent in the E1 Local Centre Zone.
Catch up on some more development-related news:
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