A Frenchs Forest housing site near Northern Beaches Hospital is moving through a new planning stage, with a newer SSD listing outlining about 160 apartments after an earlier approval for 124 dwellings on the same land.
Frenchs Forest Site Enters A New Chapter
A housing site at 116, 118 and 120 Frenchs Forest Road West and 11 Gladys Avenue has become one of the area’s more notable apartment proposals, after a newer SSD listing appeared for a larger residential development on land that already has an approved 124-dwelling scheme.
The site sits near Northern Beaches Hospital, placing it close to healthcare services, public transport and nearby retail amenities. For locals, the change is important because the land is no longer only tied to the approved DA2024/0499. It is now also listed under SSD-89863968 for a proposal described as approximately 160 apartments with in-fill affordable housing.
The newer proposal is still at the Prepare EIS stage, meaning it has not been approved. It includes demolition of existing structures, earthworks and tree removal, with further assessment still required before any final outcome.
Earlier Approval Covered 124 Apartments
Before the newer SSD listing, the same Frenchs Forest site had already received approval for a separate residential project.
DA2024/0499 was approved in 2025 for demolition works and the construction of three residential flat buildings. The approved scheme included 124 dwellings, made up of nine one-bedroom apartments, 58 two-bedroom apartments and 57 three-bedroom apartments.
The consent began operating on 16 June 2025 and is due to lapse on 16 June 2030 if not acted on within that period.
That approved version also included affordable housing requirements. At least 17 dwellings must be used for affordable housing for a minimum of 15 years from the issue of the relevant occupation certificate.
Earlier project material described the 124-apartment scheme as a $71 million residential development across three six-storey buildings. It also referred to apartments for community public housing and affordable housing, with some affordable housing aimed at key workers such as hospital staff and teachers.
What Changes For Nearby Residents
The newer SSD listing points to a different scale for the Frenchs Forest site. Instead of the approved 124-dwelling scheme alone, the land is now also connected to a proposal for about 160 apartments.
That does not mean the newer proposal has been approved, and it does not confirm that construction is starting. It means the site has entered another planning track, with more information and assessment still to come.
For residents around Frenchs Forest Road West and Gladys Avenue, the practical matters are likely to centre on scale, access, construction activity and how the project fits into the surrounding streets.
The approved DA already contains conditions dealing with parking, traffic management, waste facilities, stormwater, tree protection and construction impacts. Under the approved 124-dwelling scheme, parking included 140 residential spaces, 13 visitor spaces, 17 car-share spaces, three car wash bays, three electric vehicle charging spaces and 62 motorcycle spaces. Resident and visitor bicycle parking was also included.
Construction-related conditions also required traffic management planning, restrictions on truck movements during busy periods, dilapidation reports for nearby properties, and measures for sediment, erosion, stormwater and vegetation management.
A Larger Housing Shift In Frenchs Forest
The Frenchs Forest apartment proposal sits within a broader period of housing activity in the suburb. Other nearby proposals have also been raised around Gladys Avenue and Frenchs Forest Road West, showing how the area is changing from mostly lower-scale residential lots into a location attracting larger apartment projects.
The site’s position near Northern Beaches Hospital gives the proposal extra local relevance. Earlier material linked the approved scheme to access to healthcare, transport, retail amenities and housing for key workers.
The site already has approval for 124 dwellings, but a newer listing now describes a larger proposal of approximately 160 apartments. The SSD proposal remains at an early stage and has not been determined.
As the process continues, the Frenchs Forest Road West and Gladys Avenue site will remain important for nearby residents watching how new housing, affordable housing and construction impacts may unfold around the hospital precinct.
Published 28-May-2026
