Politicians blamed each other over the stripping of council planning powers at a recent community forum on Brookvale’s high-rise future, but residents called for an end to the finger-pointing and demanded solutions to stop “too tall”, “oversized” and “illogically outrageous” development plans.
More than 200 people turned up or tuned in to a community forum at Manly Leagues Club on 30 August 2026 to discuss major plans for high-rise buildings throughout the Brookvale area.
The forum was hosted by Curl Curl Ward Councillors Kristyn Glanville, Joeline Hackman and Nicholas Beaugeard, along with state representatives Michael Regan (Independent Member for Wakehurst), James Griffin (Liberal Member for Manly) and Sue Higginson MLC (Greens Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council).
No representative from Scentre Group attended despite an invitation, and no representative from the current Labor government was in attendance either.
Cr Glanville provided an explainer on the two major developments and planning frameworks for Brookvale.
“State governments of all flavours have eroded local democracy, and that includes most recently with the establishment of the Housing Delivery Authority (HDA), which basically allows individual developers to ask to rezone one particular site for what they call shovel-ready projects,” Cr Glanville told the audience.
“It is a fast-track process for spot rezoning of one site, and this is at odds with what a lot of people, both in the planning industry and general community members, would consider as good planning.”
During the panel discussion, the politicians traded swings at both Liberal and Labor policies, each blaming the other party for a planning system that now allows developers to submit out-of-character plans with little input from Council.
However, they agreed Scentre’s towers are not a solution to the housing crisis.
Residents highlighted the necessary infrastructure needed to support developments of this scale.
“Our current road network will not cope with either the Council or Scentre Group proposal,” one resident said.
“Major public transport improvements, including a Metro are necessary.”
“There have been no comments as to the impacts on the environment and biodiversity,” another resident said.
Other attendees expressed concerns about the impact of the expected population growth on hospitals, local schools, sporting fields and community facilities, as well as sewerage, water and electricity capacity.
One resident explained that the community understands growth is needed in the Brookvale area and Council’s plan substantially contributes to the housing supply on the Northern Beaches.
“The issue is not whether Brookvale should grow,” they said.
“It’s whether one private landowner should be permitted to dramatically exceed the locally developed plan for this site and area.”
Cr Glanville intends to form a Brookvale Development Residents Committee, called Better Brookvale, to ensure local voices are heard at all levels of government.
“Residents are the experts in their neighbourhood, and they know what the neighbourhood needs,” she said at the end of the forum.
Read more:
Proposed Brookvale housing target more than doubles as high rise mock ups flood our feeds
Bigger, bolder bid for Brookie buildings as two 39 storey towers proposed
