The controversial development of North Harbour Marina (formerly known as Davis Marina) has been unanimously approved by the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel (NBLPP) despite the DA receiving 250 submissions against the application (an additional 17 submissions were in favour of the DA). DAs are referred to the NBLPP when more than 10 submissions are received during the exhibition period.
Prior to the NBLPP meeting, Northern Beaches Council recommended the approval of the DA after addressing the main concerns raised by community members during the exhibition period which was extended to all foreshore residents (the original exhibition notice was served to four neighbouring residents) after enquiries made by Manly Observer.
In the original DA, North Harbour Marina’s new owner and Managing Director of Addenbrooke, Ned O’Neil, who purchased the business from the Davis family in 2023, had plans for berths to accommodate 32m super yachts. After outcry from residents because of the sheer size, safety concerns and ecological impact yachts of that size can pose, this was quickly changed to a maximum berth size of 15m. DPIRD Fisheries and TfNSW raised no issues with the amended berth size or safety concerns and stated there would be no unreasonable ecological impact.
The original plan also included the Marina Café which would seat a maximum 20 people, include an on-premises liquor licence and operate from 6am to 9pm, Monday to Sunday including public holidays, with closure of the café based on the time of the sunset. Again, due to outcry from the public, the trading hours were altered to 7am to 4pm Monday to Sunday, with no approval of a liquor licence.
TfNSW didn’t support the original plans to relocate four private moorings (as part of creating a navigation panel, which includes removing 10 TfNSW moorings which TfNSW did support). Therefore, this was amended in the final DA to the NBLPP.
“The Panel has formed the opinion… the alterations and additions do not significantly increase the environmental impacts of the existing or approved development,” the NBLPP minutes read.
Part of the approval requires a revised Plan of Management (which must be available on the marina’s webpage) and will include the following conditions: amended operating hours, kiosk patron hours, no alcohol to be served, no amplified music, maximum boat size and boat numbers using the marina at any one time, and, incorporation of general terms of approval requirements from DPIRD Fisheries & TfNSW. A contact number for complaints or questions must be included and displayed on the premises.
“We are pleased to receive the panel’s approval,” O’Neil told Manly Observer.
“We have worked continuously with the local community and Council to refine the proposal. The approved DA delivers an excellent environmental outcome, which will integrate well with the surrounding landscape and will complement the other water-based uses in the bay.
“The approval includes nine new marina berths ranging in size from 6.5m to 15m, a new ‘hole in the wall’ style kiosk which we think will be a great addition to the area and a dinghy and passive craft storage area will help clean up the foreshore.”
The final details
The approved development, with hours of operation to be 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, with access for patrons to berths and swing mooring not limited to those hours, includes:
- Removal of 10 commercial swing moorings (with the addition of the below berths, there will be a net decrease from 86 to 85 total boat capacity).
- Western Arm: increase from 22 berths to a total of 23 berths:
- Removal of soft sand arm (including four births);
- 1 x 6.5m berth
- 1 x 7m berth
- 1 x 8.5m berth
- 1 x 8m berth
- 1 x 12m berth
- 1 x new finger pontoon and 1 x extension of existing finger pontoon
- Eastern Arm: increase from 13 berths to a total of 21 berths:
- 5 x new finger pontoon and 1 x extension of existing finger pontoon
- 1 x 8m berth
- 2 x 10m berth
- 1 x 11m berth
- 1 x 12m berth
- 1 x 13m berth
- 1 x 14m berth
- 1 x 15m berth
- 3 new Piles
- Demolition/removal of the existing two slipways.
- Extension of leased area.
- Alterations to the existing Marina building, incorporating deck extension including four new piles, internal alterations for a new kiosk with operation hours of 7am to 4pm, Monday to Sunday with a maximum of 20 patrons and no amplified music and no alcohol.
- Dinghy storage racks to allow for 72 dinghies.
The backstory
Last year, O’Neil spoke to Manly Observer about the development. Addenbrooke has a large portfolio of commercial properties including Mosman Bay Marina and Rose Bay and Point Piper Marinas.
O’Neil said that the original plans didn’t expand on the existing footprint of the marina. Instead, they were re-configuring the existing berth layout which, he said, was poorly designed when it was built.
“The modifications are so small and within the existing footprint that most observers would struggle to tell the difference,” he told us.
While residents said they weren’t opposed to giving the marina a facelift, those who made contact with Manly Observer opposed the superyacht berths and raised concerns over visual and noise pollution from large vessels, as well as the potential safety issues multi-storey boats create for water-based activities. They also raised concerns over the sale of alcohol at the café and the potential for turning the laid-back and quiet marina into “party central”.
As one resident told us, “This is the Northern Beaches, not the Eastern suburbs”.
Shortly after publishing our first article on the development, O’Neil confirmed amendments had been made to the DA after consultations with Member for Manly, James Griffin, community groups and local residents. He said he would be restricting the maximum berth length to 15m and restricting the kiosk operation.
“Yesterday, I delivered 115 letters detailing these changes into mailboxes of residents around the bay and had the opportunity to speak with many residents and business owners about the plans,” he explained to us at the time.
O’Neil added that he was willing to continue to work with the community to further refine the proposal if required.
“The reaction by the community to the proposed conditions was overwhelming positive, but some said they would miss the opportunity to have something to eat and a glass of wine on the waterfront,” he added.
Despite these changes, residents continued to object to the development, with continuing concerns about overdeveloping a quiet and laid-back bay. Submissions objecting to the development were received until the day before the NBLPP convened.
“I’m definitely happier that it’s a kiosk and has operating hours similar to what was approved at The Fairlight Boatshed,” Jane, a local resident, told us after NBLPP’s determination.
“But it still always makes me nervous as this area should be maintained as a non-entertainment area and a quiet pocket. There’s never any guarantee that this will happen going forward.
“I’m still disappointed at the lack of consideration of the impact of removing moorings and expanding the footprint on the fragile seagrass.
“I think everyone in the vicinity will hope that the new owners will respect the area they have decided to conduct their business in and to work with us, not against us.”
Read our earlier coverage:
Bid to host superyachts and sell alcohol at Balgowlah’s North Harbour raises local ire
The tide is turning as North Harbour Marina proposal dialled back
