A 5,440 square metre chunk of publicly-owned land near Seaforth’s waterfront will be sold to build at least seven homes as part of the NSW Government’s response to the housing crisis.
The government intends to use the funds to build affordable housing elsewhere in Sydney, as part of its promise to deliver 1100 new homes through the sale of public land, and 30,000 new homes in total across the State.
As part of its Land Audit, which identfies government-owned properties considered as surplus, the Minns Government identified 5 – 17 Clavering Road, Seaforth to go to market.
“The second tranche of the land audit identified 10 sites across NSW that will deliver 1,100 homes – a mix of social, affordable and private,” a spokesperson for the Minister for Lands and Property, Steve Kamper, told Manly Observer.
Nine of those sites are in Sydney and the other in Newcastle.
“Housing costs are the single largest cost of living pressure faced by people across NSW and we are committed to confronting this head on”, the spokesperson continued.
“We need homes of all shapes and sizes to address our housing crisis. Every home counts as we work towards our plan to deliver 30,000 homes across the state.”
The Clavering Road site, not far from the Dalwood Family Care Centre, measures 5,440 sqm and is owned by the Planning Ministerial Corporation. The Dalwood facility will not be affected by this release and will continue to provide local health services.
The current proposed use of the land is to build seven homes by either Landcom or in partnership with the private sector in early 2025.
The final mix and quantity of housing on the site will be confirmed following market sounding, which will take place over the coming months. The developer will need to progress a Development Application (DA) before construction can start.
The land is currently zoned as R2 – Low Density Residential and the zoning permits dual occupancy, including duplexes, semi-detached and terraced houses with lots typically between 400 sqm to 700 sqm. The maximum building height allowed is 9.5 metres.
Sitting directly above Middle Harbour, amid the bushland of Bantry Bay, Seaforth is a much sought after residential location with a strong and vibrant community.
Given Clavering Road is close to schools and the local shopping district, there’s likely to be strong demand to build and purchase new homes.
The sale will not require community consultation.
Neighbours within 20 metres of the boundary of the lot, on which the development is proposed to be carried out, are likely to be notified of the development details at least 14 days before the Complying Development Certificate is issued.
Further notification of the intended work commencement date should be provided at least seven days before works are due to commence.
Member for Manly, James Griffin, told Manly Observer that he holds serious concerns over the sale. In a letter, shown to Manly Observer, which will soon be distributed to Seaforth residents, Mr Griffin explained that the area is an active wildlife corridor and sits within the Foreshore Protection Area – part of the former Manly Council’s LEP designed specifically to protect the natural landscape and visual amenity of the harbour area. He added the bushland has been designated as one of the Northern Beaches’ most bush fire prone areas as rated by the Rural Fire Service.
Mr Griffin said the land was previously earmarked for development in 2002/03 and 2019, but the then-Government decided to not go ahead with the sale once the problems with the sale were identified.
“Without a slip lane, access and egress to any future housing will be limited to Clavering Road, a narrow cul-de-sac, and the development itself will be forced to be at street level, rather than below the crown of the road,” Mr Griffin wrote in the letter.
“In my discussions with the [then Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes,] I also requested that one lot be retained to preserve bushland and augment the wildlife corridor.
“I am calling on the Premier, the Minister for Lands and Property and the Minister for Housing to ensure that at the very least, a slip lane or separate access point is conditional to any future housing development, and that at least one parcel of bushland is retained.”
Manly Observer asked a spokesperson from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) what the estimated value was of the land, what it had been used for until now if anything, and whether the plan was to sell the land to developers or build homes and sell them directly.
These questions were not answered, and the estimated value was considered commercial-in-confidence.
We have been told, unofficially, that any potential proceeds from these sites will be reinvested directly into new public housing construction. It is not known whether that it part of the money already promised or in addition. We continue to ask questions of Minister Kamper’s office and DPHI on these matters.
You can read the government’s statement on the property audit here.
