McDonald’s has won approval for a drive-thru restaurant at 37 Roseberry Street, Manly Vale (on the border of Balgowlah, where Seven Miles Coffee is currently located), after the Land and Environment Court overturned Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel’s refusal despite 740 submissions and a 4,000-signature petition against the development.
The decision on Thursday, 8 October 2026, came after fierce community opposition to the development application lodged 20 months ago.
But the plot has thickened – with Manly Observer receiving a tip off this week that Seven Miles had just signed a 12 year lease to remain at the Roseberry Street site. And, while we have yet to confirm the length of the lease, the coffee roasters have confirmed with us they have have a long lease in place and have made no plans to relocate.
Seven Miles Coffee has been on the site since the 1970’s. They told Manly Observer they hold a valid multi-year lease at the site.
“While development approval has been granted, we have made no decisions to relocate,” Jody Leslie, CEO of Seven Miles Coffee Company told us.
“If things change, we will let you know.
“Manly Vale has been home to our roastery, café and head office for many years, and we’re proud of the relationships we’ve built with our customers and the local community. Our operations continue as usual, and we remain committed to serving our customers great coffee and supporting our team.”
So, while we try to work out what this all means for McDonald’s development timeline, let’s focus instead on how it came to be approved, and what the burger chain has to say about their win.
“McDonald’s Australia welcomes the Land and Environment Court’s decision,” a McDonald’s spokesperson told Manly Observer this week.
“The restaurant represents an investment of more than $4 million and will generate approximately 50 jobs during construction and an additional 100 jobs for Northern Beaches locals once operational, including full-time, part-time and casual positions.
“The restaurant will be owned and operated by a local Franchisee who will contribute to the local area through employment, access to training and development opportunities, and supporting local community organisations.
“We look forward to joining Balgowlah and playing an active role in the local community.”
Campaigners, who had thought they had already won the battle against the fast food giant, were not impressed, particularly with Council who no longer disputing the proposal.
“The traffic issues the LEC said it resolved were traffic safety, not volume,” Tom, a local resident, told us.
“Nothing in the judgment deals with the extra cars on Roseberry Street and Kenneth Road, which is what residents are most worried about.
“We will hold Council to its statement that its concerns have been resolved.
“If traffic on Roseberry Street or Kenneth Road gets worse, it will be their responsibility to act.
“Traffic gridlock is bad for business, and fast-food customers are the least patient of all.
“After a few visits stuck in traffic, people will simply drive to Brookvale McDonald’s.”
How did we get here?
In February 2025, the fast-food chain lodged a $4 million Development Application with Northern Beaches Council to construct a 24 hours a day, seven days a week restaurant including a 15 car drive-thru and 26 space car park.
After backlash from the community, which included an online petition that quickly gained over 4,000 signatures against the development, the DA was amended to address concerns around signage, operating hours (reduction from 24/7 to 5am to midnight, seven days a week), and traffic mitigation.
In July 2025, after receiving 740 submissions (with only two in support of the DA), the application was unanimously refused by the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel (NBLPP).
In February 2026, McDonald’s appealed the refusal at the Land and Environment Court (LEC).
A conciliation conference took place in May 2026 to attempt to broker a deal between McDonald’s and Northern Beaches Council. Around 70 residents showed up to demonstrate their objections to having a McDonald’s restaurant in their neighbourhood. Their concerns were traffic and safety, crime and anti-social behaviour, noise, odour, the suitability of the site, social and health impacts, and a lack of demand given other nearby fast-food outlets.
A further two-day hearing was held in September 2026, before a decision was made last week to approve the development.
What’s going ahead?
The Manly Vale/Balgowlah McDonald’s will be the sixth restaurant on the Beaches.
While McDonald’s originally wanted 24 hours, seven days a week operation, the final operating hours are 6am to 10pm, seven days a week, with customers needing to be out by 9:30pm and signage lights turned off from 10pm to 6am.
The dining room is capped at 52 seats, with 26 car parking spaces (plus two motorcycle and 12 bicycle spaces).
Deliveries and waste and recycling collection are allowed only during off-peak times, which includes weekdays 10am to 12pm and 1:30pm to 2:30pm, and weekends, 8am to 10am and 3pm to 5pm.
McDonald’s is also required to implement additional traffic mitigation measures.
“To improve safety and accessibility for the local community, McDonald’s has committed to a number of traffic and pedestrian safety improvements, including a widened pedestrian refuge, a new left turn slip lane from Roseberry Street turning left onto Kenneth Road and a new roundabout at the intersection of Roseberry Street and Hayes Street,” the McDonald’s spokesperson told Manly Observer.
As part of the LEC conditions, McDonald’s must build a roundabout at Roseberry and Hayes Streets and a median and splitter island on Roseberry Street, south of Kenneth Road (which will stop right turns into the driveway). Works will also include road widening, Kenneth Road linemarking and a new 11m-wide driveway crossing.
