Newsletter – October 2025

Pittwater and Lion Island

Spring has certainly arrived, even Summer, with some of the temperatures. Work around the area has picked up a little pace as there is a push to finish projects before the Christmas holidays – or to make an announcement that things may not be finished by the due date! Our roads are still clogged with trade vehicles or completely blocked with large cranes and other machinery being squeezed in around a site or a concrete truck making a ‘pour’. Is this the downside to living in Paradise but surrounded by the mirage that ‘bigger is better’?

CONTENTS

COUNCIL

MEETINGS

Council meetings are long-winded affairs and we sympathise with the sheer volume of work for individual Councillors and the amount of reading and preparation they need to do, not to mention the constant stream of requests from residents. We really value our Councillors, the time they give and what they can do on our behalf, even if we do not always agree with Council’s decisions. It is therefore very disappointing to see what has become of the monthly Council meetings. Submissions are made (some at least we hope are helpful) and we look forward to hearing reasonable discussion and the opportunity to hear different points of view providing background to decisions taken. Constructive debate now rarely happens, so much time is wasted on points of order and other technicalities, with little co-operation between Councillors, and a vital part of our democratic process is disappearing. Residents who attend to speak often do not get a fair hearing in the Council Chamber including from those in the public gallery. They often go away sadly, thinking it was a waste of time and the Council as a body does not focus debate in the way residents expect or have their interests at heart. Nor does it provide a space where they can comfortably address the Council. The State Government is attaching less weight to community consultation so it is more important than ever that local government gives the community a voice. We should feel that the Council is listening and will act in our interests. We do not have that feeling at the moment.

You can watch the Council Meetings on YouTube – either live or at a time to suit you. We encourage you to take a look to observe the conduct during the meetings and understand our concerns. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBNheo2N15JXKRtK1kk-f2cSrcrtmPCiU

FOOD WASTE COLLECTION PILOT

All NSW councils are required by the NSW Government to introduce a residential food waste collection service by 2030 which will be turned into compost and reused while reducing the amount of landfill and potent gases. In anticipation of this, Northern Beaches Council is introducing a pilot programme in Dee Why (a high density area) and Cromer (a medium density area) to run from late October this year to March 2026. Households in selected streets will be asked to separate their food waste into a kitchen caddy and, for collection, add the food to the green bin with their garden waste but in a compostable liner. This is Phase 1.

Phase 2 will run from April 2026 to September 2026 and will introduce another bin, purple this time, to collect food waste only. The pilot areas for Phase 2 will be announced later.

If you are not in the pilot areas and want to reduce the amount of food waste going to landfill please visit the Council’s Food Waste page for tips and further information:
https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/services/rubbish-and-recycling/food-waste

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

NSW PLANNING SYSTEM REFORMS BILL 2025

Development in Whale Beach Road

Development in NSW is determined by The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 but the NSW Government believes that the planning process is now too complex and no longer able to meet the needs of the State. It proposes to provide a streamlined process to build the increased number of homes which are urgently needed. They have therefore attempted to modernise the EP & A Act by creating two new Authorities which will centralise decision making. The Development Coordination Authority (in effect the State Planning Secretary alone) and the Housing Delivery Authority (the State Planning Secretary and two other members appointed by him) have been created in an attempt to speed up development. These two Authorities are unelected and unaccountable. The Development Coordination Authority will combine the various government agencies involved in the planning process to avoid confusion and delay. In addition, a new process has been created called Targeted Assessment Development which supposedly bridges the gap between complying development and a full development assessment. This process requires considerably less assessment and oversight. It expressly prohibits consideration of issues such as the impact of the development (including environmental), suitability of the site and public interest. The minimum community consultation period is 14 days. There is no limit to the kinds of development which can become part of this process (including mines for example) and no legislative safeguards. We have yet to find out the extent to which state controls will override local planning controls.

The planning system is now oriented towards promoting development with little consideration for the well-being of the community or the environmental impacts of the development. There seems no attempt to preserve the character of an area or to take into account the strains it might put on local infrastructure. Councils and the State Government will have to respond speedily with necessary infrastructure if large developments are quickly approved. The Bill proposed the removal of regional and district planning panels with more responsibility going to Local Planning Panels for regional developments. Local Government NSW has said it welcomes the return of greater emphasis on local planning panels. We will see how NB Council sees the role and composition of our Local Planning Panels in the future.

There will now be a state wide Community Participation Plan (not probably as ambitious as the Plan drafted by NB Council which has now been paused) that will be standardised across all planning authorities. This will mean less time and opportunity for local communities to have genuine input and raise issues of concern.
Anti-corruption safeguards recommended by the Independent Commission Against Corruption will be undermined with less transparency and conflict of interest controls.

This Bill has the support of the Coalition so was passed with amendments in the NSW Legislative Assembly on 16 October and is being debated in the Legislative Council from 21 October 2025. Our State MP, Jacqui Scruby, successfully moved an amendment with Alex Greenwich to reinstate consideration of the environment, also the health and safety of residents and conservation of natural resources. Michael Regan secured an amendment protecting bush fire prone land with the Government also requiring the relevant Bush Fire Protection Planning Guide to be considered before there is development consent. The Opposition were also successful in securing an amendment that Targeted Assessment Development must be subject to public consultation for a minimum of 28 days.

NORTHERN BEACHES COUNCIL PLANNING PORTAL

The Association has frequently suggested improvements to the Council Planning Portal to make it more user friendly and to give a more complete picture of progress on development applications. As an example, we have asked that if there is a deemed refusal of an application so that it can be taken to the Land & Environment Court before the Council has fully investigated it, this should be noted on the portal.

The Council has been receptive to these ideas but there may be some delays as the whole IT system is currently being upgraded. However, in an improvement already implemented, we have found it very helpful that the Council RFIs (Requests for Information) regarding a development are now included on the website with Documents.

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS

15 Ocean Road, Palm Beach (This development is next door to The Palladium, shown below and will considerably overshadow it)

The Palladium, Ocean Road, Palm Beach

Following the Conciliation Conference on site at 15 Ocean Road, the Land & Environment Court quickly approved the development in spite of substantial objections from advisers to The Palladium’s owners, neighbours and the Association. An Appeal is being made to the NSW Ombudsman that due process was not followed. We will be supporting the owners of The Palladium.

1112-1116 Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach (former General Store)

The developer has announced the commencement of work on this site. The house has been demolished and vegetation cleared. Current work includes:

• Site establishment
• Demolition works
• Site clearing
• Traffic control
• Hazardous material removal as required

OCEAN POOLS

Work on Whale Beach Ocean Pool is continuing with the construction period approximately 7 weeks. There have been some delays but the estimated completion date is still mid-November.

A meeting has been held with the Association to discuss the design work for renovations to Palm Beach pool. When the design work is complete it will be put out to tender. The aim is to start work during Winter next year. The floor of the pool will be rebuilt and the surrounding area rejuvenated to provide a safe and inviting area for use by residents and visitors.

CLEAN BEACHES

Avalon Beach

The Sydney Morning Herald has revealed the list of Sydney’s cleanest and dirtiest beaches. “The Northern Beaches dominate the top 10 cleanest swim sites” according to their analysis of BeachWatch data. Avalon, Bilgola, Bungan, Long Reef, Mona Vale, The Basin, Turimetta, Warriewood and Whale Beach all made the list.

Avalon takes out the crown for most pristine beach.

AVALON

THE DEEP NORTH FESTIVAL, 5-7 DECEMBER, 2025

On 5-7 December, Avalon and the surrounding district will be hosting a weekend of music, art, dance, creativity and fun. This is a 3-day festival with a breathtaking collection of artists and performers. Venues are varied – you will find James Morrison in the fabulous Town Tent (Saturday), an intimate Bach concert in The Bible Garden (early Saturday morning) and much more besides. The full programme can be found on deepnorth.au. 70% of the events are free and 30% are ticketed and there is something for everyone.

The festival has been organised by the revitalised Chamber of Commerce, now known as Avalon Business Collective, whose President is Sally Tabner from Bookoccino. Their aim is to give local business a shot in the arm while providing nearby residents and visitors with unrivalled entertainment, culture and ideas. They have secured NSW Government funding of $180,000 (no mean feat) and plan to hold two functions a year, one in the summer and one in the winter. We wish them well. Tickets are on sale now. Get on line, put the dates in your diary and support your local businesses.

https://deepnorth.au/

SYDNEY WATER UPGRADE IN AVALON

Sydney Water’s upgrade to the mains continues with its huge upheaval in the centre of Avalon. Unfortunately, it will not be finished before Christmas. We will just have a ‘pause’ but we will be able to move around the streets as normal. Road plates will cover parts of the roads temporarily.
Here is an update from Sydney Water.

“Our work has unfortunately been slowed due to challenging ground conditions and significant wet weather. While we’ve made every effort, we won’t be able to finish by late October 2025 as we planned. We apologise for the delay and for the ongoing construction disturbance being experienced by residents and businesses.

We will install the remaining water main and other underground services by late November 2025 and then pause work over summer. This will provide a break from construction and enable us to return parking space for the busiest time of the year. We’ll then return from March 2026 to connect the new pipe to the system. We will continue to keep you updated via our weekly construction email updates as we continue our work.”

AVALON SHARED SPACE

Avalon Shared Space

Avalon Shared Space is popular although it is the subject of many complaints because of its poor design and scruffy appearance. The Council is well aware of this. Improvements are planned and funding is allocated for it. Delays by Sydney Water mean that this work will not be done until the completion of the upgrade to the water main. The Shared Space will be tidied up for the holidays after Sydney Water pause their work. A Design Consultant will be employed to design and project manage it and tenders closed for the consultancy on 14 October.

DUNBAR PARK

Dunbar Park

Work has started on improvements to Dunbar Park as part of the Avalon Place Plan.
The improvements include:

• lighting to provide a sense of liveliness and safety
• providing pop-up play spaces and active play elements
• increasing public seating, picnic benches and tables
• increasing footpath widths where required
• providing shelter for shade and weather protection
• opportunities for arts and performance spaces
• installing new bike parking

New fitness equipment has been installed near the Recreation Centre Annexe building.

Early in 2026 additional furniture will be installed in the Park.

NORTHERN BEACHES HOSPITAL

Northern Beaches Hospital

In the public/private partnership that resulted in the establishment of Northern Beaches Hospital, Healthscope has been responsible for the operation of both the public and private sectors of the hospital. As a result of Healthscope going into administration, the NSW Government has been engaged in months of negotiation with the administrators about the termination of the contract with Healthscope. They have now announced that an in-principle agreement has been reached for the 494-bed hospital to move into public hands by mid-2026 at a cost of $190m to the tax payer. The Health Minister, Ryan Park, sees this process in three stages: the first stage is to make an agreement with the administrators which has now been done. The second stage is to guarantee agreements with the staff to stop the exodus of staff members. All clinical and support staff will be offered jobs and their entitlements will be transferred to NSW Health. The third stage is to work out the details of what the new model will be for the hospital and this is now being discussed. NSW Health sees the additional capacity of public beds can mean that the amount of elective surgery being passed to private hospitals will be cut back but they have not yet resolved what private services will be available at the hospital. There are 200 private beds in the hospital and more than 20,000 surgeries scheduled in a year. Senior doctors are concerned that if private services are removed there will be longer waitlists for surgery and increased pressure on the public system.

These are vital issues for Northern Beaches’ residents. The Auditor General found earlier this year that the hospital did not heed warnings about risks to patient safety and outcomes and it has been acknowledged for some time that there is considerable understaffing. We have also advocated for the hospital to be upgraded to Level 6. There is still no stroke unit at Northern Beaches Hospital and stroke patients need to be taken to Royal North Shore Hospital, a very long distance for many residents of the Northern Beaches. We will continue to make representations to our local MPs. The model of Royal North Shore Hospital which encompasses both public and private care should be available at Northern Beaches Hospital.

If you wish to make a comment please write to:

The Premier, Chris Minns Email: kogarah@parliament.nsw.gov.au or
the NSW Health Minister, Ryan Park Email: keira@parliament.nsw.gov.au

GOVERNOR PHILLIP PARK

Miranda Korzy’s motion to set up a Governor Phillip Park Community Working Group to develop concept plans for future community infrastructure and to identify environmental priorities and opportunities was passed by exception at the Council Meeting on Tuesday 21 October. Terms of reference and composition of the group have yet to be worked out.

The Association supported the motion and looks forward to the formation of the group. We are expecting the new Plan of Management to be available for consultation with the community by April or May next year.

DRAFT CODE OF MEETING PRACTICE 2025

The Office of Local Government has finalised a new 2025 Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW and all Councils must adopt a Code of Meeting Practice that is consistent with the model code by 31 December 2025. The stated aim is to ensure that Council meetings (and Council Committee meetings of Councillors only) are open, accessible, orderly, effective and efficient. The new Code contains mandatory and non-mandatory provisions. There may also be changes which are necessary because of local circumstances. Northern Beaches Council has issued a draft NB Code of Meeting Practice which was discussed at the last Council meeting on 21 October where it was resolved to publicly exhibit it for community feedback.

Whether or not to hold Public Forums is optional but, if they are held, this must be before the meeting and may not be part of it. They must be live streamed and refer only to items of business to be considered at the Council meeting. Northern Beaches Council proposes holding a public forum 7 days before the Council meeting. There was some discussion that community representations in person (or read aloud) needed to be just before the meeting not one week before. Separate briefing meetings for Councillors by Council staff where Councillors can ask questions to better understand matters to be discussed are prohibited. As a result, such questions might need to be put at a Council meeting i.e. a meeting which is open to the public. This is thought to be in the interests of transparency. Similarly, the Council must ensure that all meetings of Council and committees of Council are open to the public except parts of the meetings which are specifically allowed in closed sessions under Sections of the Act.

Other required changes include matters relating to:

Submissions close 4 December 2025

TV BLOCKBUSTER FILMING ON THE NORTHERN BEACHES

A new medical drama called ‘The F Ward’ is being filmed on the Northern Beaches. It is a 6-part series for streaming service Stan and stars Anna Friel. The series follows a team of brilliant but flawed young doctors sent to the under-funded Pines Hospital for a last chance to prove themselves. It will premiere on Stan in 2026. Shooting at present is around Narrabeen. The series is expected to create 550 local jobs across cast, crew and post-production.

TRAFFIC

ELECTRIC BUSES ON NORTHERN BEACHES

The Northern Beaches is now home to Australia’s largest electric bus depot following the successful completion of works at the Sydney Buses Brookvale Depot in partnership with Keolis Downer and the NSW Government. Currently they have 13 electric buses but these are the first of the 8,000 buses in NSW which will eventually switch to electric. The depot has a new charging station which can power up a bus in 20 min.

TICK SEASON

This is the start of the tick season and the main season will last until March. If you are in the bush or garden protect yourself by covering up, wearing a hat and using insect repellent. Stock up with a spray containing ether (available at most pharmacists). If you get bitten, use the spray to kill the tick and it will either detach itself in a few minutes or you can pull it out with tweezers when it is dead. If you have an allergic reaction call the emergency services on 000.

COASTAL WALKWAY

The Coastal Walkway is now being constructed between Newport and Avalon which is the last section for which there is funding at present. It will go along The Serpentine incorporating a shared space with a maximum speed of 10kph.

Funding is still being sought for the last section from Avalon to Palm Beach as part of the walkway which was envisaged as running from Manly all the way to Palm Beach. There has been considerable work done on the design and engineering drawings for this last section along Whale Beach Road but it now needs to include restoration to the road and as such needs a different level of expenditure.

We are making another push to have this work completed with the knowledge that the Council is endeavouring to find the necessary funding. The Coastal Walkway is a real tourist attraction and it is frustrating that this spectacular section of it is not complete.

Remembrance Day

MEET ME AT THE MOVIES

A message from Pittwater Anglican Church

Meet me at the Movies is a relaxed way to enjoy a great film with friends, share a laugh (or a tear) and chat about the themes of the movies watched and explore how those themes relate to daily life. The movie sessions are free and played in the newly installed micro-cinema in Avalon. The cinema has a 24ft. wide screen. Surround Sound and quality laser projector give you that real cinema experience.
If you are keen to join the Cinema Circle email: movies@pittwateranglican.church or access a form on: https://www.pittwateranglican.church/movies

AUTHOR TALK AT THE LIBRARY

“Who’d have predicted that crashing funerals could have life changing consequences!”

Tuesday 4 November, 5.45pm in Room 4, Avalon Recreation Centre
You can book for this event on 02 8495 5080.

Click Here

CHRISTMAS PARTY

Our annual Christmas Party will be held on Sunday, 7 December at Dunes Restaurant from 6.30-8.30pm. Invitations will be sent out at the end of October. We hope to see you there! This is a strictly social evening with only one speech – by the President.

OTHER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Next Coffee Morning – 10.30am 24 November at the Pacific Club. Our guest will be James Farrington, the newly appointed Director, Planning and Place, Northern Beaches Council

Next Committee Meeting – 7pm on Monday, 10 November at the Pacific Club

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns and thoughts. Email: info@pbwba.org.au

Professor Richard West 0407 942 941