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A New Hope for Mental Health to Rise in Frenchs Forest

The construction of an 80-bed private mental health hospital in Frenchs Forest, specifically focusing on youth treatment, has been given the go signal in a pivotal move that will address the pressing needs of the Northern Beaches community.

The Northern Beaches Mental Health Hub, with a budget of $54 million and soaring eight storeys high, is scheduled to commence construction in mid-2024 after NSW Planning approved the State Significant Development Application – SSD-30236074

The facility is expected to be built on a former business park site in Tilley Ln.

As mental health concerns continue to escalate, local mental health advocacy groups threw their weight behind this initiative, which will be leased out to private operators.

The developer, CK Group, is resolute in addressing the “high level local unmet demands” with this facility.

Frenchs Forest Mental Health facility — *Photo Credit: SSD-30236074*

The building will not only have inpatient rooms but also outpatient and clinical therapy services, consulting rooms, electroconvulsive therapy treatment and recovery spaces, along with meeting and group rooms. The facility will also include essential amenities such as an ambulance bay and parking for 73 cars.

Private patient rooms with ensuites, a rooftop garden, a ground floor cafe, a gym, a “healing garden,” and “reflective sitting nooks” are all integral parts of the comprehensive plan.

For CK Group’s managing director, Walt Coulston, the primary focus is on “establishing a much-needed mental health facility specifically for juveniles.” The vision extends beyond treatment to making a substantial contribution to the well-being of the broader community.

The Northern Beaches Mental Health Hub holds the promise of being a lifeline for those in need, with plans to employ approximately 120 staff upon opening. It is strategically located, less than a 10-minute walk from the Northern Beaches Hospital, which already provides mental health services but is grappling with increasing demand.

“Right now, demand for acute mental health services is at a high,” Nic Brown, CEO of the youth preventive mental health support group said.

“It’s imperative that additional resources are invested in a timely manner to address this and prevent any future risks in our community.”

For individuals struggling with mental health issues, support is also readily available through Lifeline at 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue at 1300 224 636.

Published 26-Jan-2024

Faster Internet Relief in Sight For Frenchs Forest Households

Frenchs Forest has been named as one of the latest Northern Beaches suburbs to gain access to the top-tier National Broadband Network (NBN) fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) service.

Read: Construction Begins on Massive Bunnings Warehouse Store in Frenchs Forest

About 2,500 Frenchs Forest households will finally be able to acquire blazing fast fibre internet through the recently announced NBN upgrades.

The Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland and Mackellar MP Dr Sophie Scamps delivered the good news during a visit to Cromer earlier this month.

The announcement event took place at Prysmian Group’s cables manufacturing headquarters in Cromer, which produces optical fibre products for Telstra and other telecommunication clients. Attendees got a first-hand look at some of Prysmian’s newest innovations, like high-capacity underwater data cables that will connect beneath Sydney Harbour.

Mackellar stands out as a major adopter of fibre internet, with 10,000 local premises already upgraded to FTTP.

Dr Scamps emphasised the importance of reliable, high-speed connectivity for Mackellar’s many creative professionals, trades workers and other businesses.

Suburbs were chosen based on anticipated strong demand for faster internet speeds in the area. Locations that already had established NBN construction partners in place with available workforces following the initial network build were also preferred. This allowed upgrades to be rapidly deployed in a cost-effective manner that can multiply economic activity.

Additionally, the NBN stated that suburbs were selected where fibre installations could begin quickly and efficiently. The goal was to maximise the investment value from upgrade work kicked off in the near-term.

Similar criteria will be applied moving forward as the NBN works to make an additional 1.5 million fibre-to-the-node premises eligible. The priority remains identifying areas hungry for premium connectivity that have resources ready for swift and economical deployments.

Read: Road Widening To Start Soon For Section Of Wakehurst Parkway

The NBN expressed commitment to bringing more Australian suburbs into the high-speed fibre future using this approach. The initial upgrade rollout aims to cater to neighbourhoods with greatest demand and fastest deployment potential.

Published 25-December-2023

Construction Begins on Massive Bunnings Warehouse Store in Frenchs Forest

Photo Credit: Flickr/Ryan Smith/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The construction of a highly anticipated Bunnings Warehouse Store in Frenchs Forest has commenced, marking the hardware giant’s first warehouse store in New South Wales with three levels of retail.

The $48-million development, located at the intersection of Warringah, Allambie, and Rodborough Roads, has already seen the demolition of an Australia Post distribution centre and a two-storey office block to make way for the massive, five-storey store.

The Northern Beaches Council recently approved a slight modification to the development application, allowing all floor levels to be raised by 50 centimetres. However, the internal height of the Level 2 warehouse will be decreased correspondingly.

According to the council, this modification does not alter the overall height of the building and will not be noticeable from the building’s exterior.

Construction will also include the installation of footings and retaining walls. The project aims to be completed by early 2025 and is expected to generate over 800 jobs, including 700 during construction and around 135 vacancies for retail workers.

Bunnings anticipates that the Frenchs Forest store will become a haven for DIY enthusiasts, tradies, and professional builders in the Northern Beaches area.

Unlike Bunnings’ local outlets at Warringah Mall, Belrose, Balgowlah, and Narrabeen, the Frenchs Forest store will offer three levels of retail. This will include a wide range of hardware and building supplies, an outdoor garden centre, a large café, and a kids’ playground. The development will also feature two levels of parking, accommodating close to 400 vehicles.

The approval of the Bunnings development application by the NSW Government’s Sydney North Planning Panel in February 2021 came after a disagreement between Bunnings and the Northern Beaches Council regarding safe vehicle access to the site from Allambie Rd.

Bunnings Warehouse Frenchs Forest — *Photo Credit: DA2020/0717*

Concerns were raised about potential road safety issues and conflicts with pedestrians due to the building’s proximity to the busy intersection. Some members of the community remain concerned about increased traffic in the area, particularly with the upcoming construction of The Forest High School approximately 400 meters away on Allambie Rd.

Another point of conflict involved the size of the Bunnings Warehouse logos and signs, as well as the building’s predominantly green color scheme. Bunnings has agreed to reduce the size of the logo by 33 percent on Rodborough Rd, remove several hammer logos from the rest of the building, and limit the use of green paint on the facades.

Michael Staines, Bunnings Area Manager, expressed delight in confirming the commencement of construction for the new store in Frenchs Forest. He assured the local community that updates on the development’s progress will be provided in due course.

Published 7-June-2023

Upgrades to Wakehurst Parkway Planned

About $75 million will be invested to improve safety and traffic flow at Wakehurst Parkway which will deliver upgrades to the 9.5-km stretch from Narrabeen to Frenchs Forest.

The funding is in addition to the $18.1 million already provided to the Northern Beaches Council for the flood mitigation project on Wakehurst Parkway. The new investment will deliver improved traffic signals at the Dreadnought Road intersection, upgrade the Oxford Falls Road West intersection, improve southbound lane capacity on approach to Frenchs Forest, and improve safety at Elanora Road

Upgrade to this section of Wakehurst Parkway will include localised widening and additional turning lanes to reduce crashes and improve the efficiency of the corridor.

“Sections of Wakehurst Parkway are some of the most dangerous black spots on the Northern Beaches, which is why we’re pressing ahead with our $75 million funding commitment,” Minister for Infrastructure Rob Stokes said.

“These works will help reduce crashes, improve access to Northern Beaches Hospital, and save commuters time by improving the overall efficiency of the wider road network.”

Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward explained that Wakehurst Parkway is situated within an incredible bushland setting, “so these important safety improvements will be designed and delivered to minimise impacts on the local environment and community, with updates every step of the way.”

Also being undertaken are essential roadworks, including the asphalting of a 2.8-kilometre section of the road, which is funded through the NSW Government’s $147 million Greater Sydney State Roads Assets Restoration Program.

The first round of community consultation on the Wakehurst Parkway’s safety and traffic flow improvements is expected to take place in 2023.

Road Widening To Start Soon For Section Of Wakehurst Parkway

A section of Wakehurst Parkway will be widened to four lanes to reduce traffic congestion in the area and make it safer for motorists.

Read: Developer Proposes Rapid Assessment Of New Mental Health Facility In Frenchs Forest

Wakehurst Parkway, one of the most complained-about roads across the northern beaches, has witnessed a number of accidents and mishaps. Back in 2021, a serious collision in the area left two people seriously injured.

The $75-m road widening project will see the Parkway widened, in both directions, between the intersection with Dreadnought Rd at Oxford Falls, then south through the busy intersection with Warringah Rd to pass the intersection with Aquatic Dr at Frenchs Forest.Reducing Flood at Oxford Falls

After being presented with a flood mitigation feasibility study for Wakehurst Parkway, Council is now considering the next step for the project which involves progressing with detailed design and environmental assessments for reducing flooding at the Oxford Falls and Oxford Falls Road west sites.

This comes after Northern Beaches Council voted on 22 March 2022 to proceed with the detailed design and environmental assessments for the Oxford Falls site with a view to designs being completed by mid-2022 which will then allow construction to commence.

The Parkway north of Warringah Road is prone to flooding in certain areas and has historically experienced frequent road closures as a result. At present, this is up to six to seven times per year on average.

In the wake of March 2022 flooding, Oxford falls Road is closed between the Wakehurst Parkway and Aroona Road due to flooding.

Initially, Wakehurst Parkway was deemed “not a priority,” with the mayor himself highlighting that it is a state road. He also added that the only way to permanently stop this road from flooding is to raise the road.

Community consultations revealed that while there is support for flood mitigation works, views diverged on the preferred method and the acceptability of the environmental impact.

“There is no doubt that Wakehurst Parkway closures are frustrating to motorists and we’d all like to see the flood issues fixed,” Mayor Regan said.

“While a quick solution would be great, in the case of Wakehurst Parkway there is a lot of detail to consider along with environmental regulations and site constraints and multiple land ownership.”

Both federal and state funding will be used for the Wakehurst Parkway road widening project.

Developer Proposes Rapid Assessment Of New Mental Health Facility In Frenchs Forest

Artist’s impression of the new health hub (Photo credit: Northern Beaches Health Hub)

To help the state cope with the rising rate of mental health illness cases across NSW, the developers of the Northern Beaches Health Hub at Frenchs Forest have applied for a rapid assessment of the planned facility.

Read: Forestway Shopping Centre in Frenchs Forest Sold for $100 Million

CK Property Group, the firm behind the $50 million facility, has applied for a “rapid assessment” of the application through the NSW Government’s State Significant Development process.

Based on a report from NSW Suicide Monitoring System, there have been 833 suspected or confirmed suicide deaths reported in the State from 1 January to 30 November 2021.

“Immediate and urgent approval is needed for the development of the new mental health facility addressing increasing rates of suicide, self-harm and mental health conditions in the Northern Beaches area,” Northern Beaches Health Hub stated in a Change.org petition, urging the public to support the urgent approval of a new mental health hospital in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Plans

CK Property Group is seeking a 96-bed private mental health hospitalm, which “will slow increasing local rates of suicide and self-harm, especially among young people.”

The applicant highlighted that the Northern Beaches is particularly at risk with data indicating a shortfall of up to 145 acute mental health beds.

mental hospital nsw — Ground Level Floor Plan (Photo credit: Northern Beaches Health Hub)

health hub — Level 2-6 Typical Floor Plan (Photo credit: Northern Beaches Health Hub)

Once approved, it will provide up to 80 private patient rooms with ensuite, a rooftop garden; ground floor cafe, gym; protected healing garden, and reflective sitting nooks. It will feature three levels of basement parking accommodating 72 car spaces.

The new mental health facility is located in close proximity to the strategic Frenchs Forest Health and Education Precinct and Northern Beaches Hospital.

11 tilley lane — Photo credit: Northern Beaches Health Hub

It will employ around 175 people during construction and a further 180 once in full operation. Construction is set to start mid- 2023 with completion shortly thereafter.

The Forest High’s New Location Revealed

Photo credit: The Forest High School

The Forest High School at Frenchs Forest will soon move to a new home as its current site will be bulldozed to make way for a new town centre. The school will occupy the former headquarters of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance in Allambie Rd.

Read: Bunnings Plans New 5-Storey Store with Playground in Frenchs Forest

The new location, spanning 2.7 hectares, is two kilometres away from The Forest High, and near Manly, which needs a co-ed comprehensive school since Beacon Hill High School closed in 2002.

188 Allambie Rd (Photo credit: Google Street View)

The former headquarter was also known as the McLeod House, in honour of Audrie and Neil McLeod, founders of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance (formerly The Spastic Centre). A severe fire gutted the dministration building of The Spastic Centre in 2007, but McLeod House was not reportedly not damaged.

McLeod House c. 1957 – c. 1967 (Photo credit: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au)

In 2015, the Cerebral Palsy Alliance announced plans to sell the land for at least $20 million. But since it’s identified as an SP1 Special Activities zone, it means it has been applied to special land uses or sites with special characteristics that cannot be accommodated in other zones. Because of its restrictions on use, the State Government still has the final say in the use of the property.

Funding for The Forest High’s relocation has been set aside in the NSW Budget, having been chosen as one of the three northern beaches projects that will receive funding from Berejiklian government’s $2.1 billion school investment.

A spokesperson from the Department of Education said School Infrastructure NSW was investigating the costs and benefits, spatial requirements of upgrades, and how they might fit within the wider Frenchs Forest community. Further details regarding the school’s relocation will be released in the coming weeks.

Plans for Frenchs Forest Town Centre (Photo credit: Northern Beaches Council)

The new town centre is part of the Frenchs Forest Priority Precinct, which would allow the creation of medium density residential areas with shop top apartment blocks. It’s expected to deliver up to 3000 new dwellings and 2300 jobs over the next 20 years.

Forestway Shopping Centre in Frenchs Forest Sold for $100 Million

A popular Frenchs Forest retail hub has sold for $100 million after a failed attempt to secure approval to revamp the 57-year-old Forestway Shopping Centre.

Invesco sold Forestway Shopping Centre to Revelop, a Paramatta-based investment firm, in an off-market deal in early 2021. Revelop specialises in commercial and residential developments and is now the biggest Frenchs Forest property owner.

The Forestway Shopping Centre covers nearly 10,000 square metres of retail, commercial and office space, including two major supermarkets — ALDI and Woolworths — and the established fast-food chain store, McDonald’s.

The new owner isn’t planning on a massive revamp but will, instead, focus on improving three key areas of the shopping centre: the appearance, the parking spaces and the mix of tenancies.

“As with all our property transactions, Forestway was a strategic acquisition that allowed us to build on an established local centre that offered vast upside opportunities without detracting from the convenience that makes Forestway a favourite with our locals,” Revelop director Charbel Hazzouri said in the press release.

Once the plans are finalised, we will commence a staged delivery focusing on expansion and improvements of our current tenants, introduction of new tenants to improve the mix and experience and look to the larger scale improvements.”

Forestway Shopping Centre was built in 1966. In 2015, Invesco bought the site for $112 million with the intention of doing major redevelopments and demolition.

However, the Northern Beaches community objected to the proposal down the plans despite the developer’s promise to bring in better food and drink choices and a host of services like a medical facility and a childcare centre, a gym and more shops or commercial establishments.

In December 2020, the Council rejected the development application, citing that the project doesn’t meet the standards for environmental planning grounds. Council also said that the plans run contrary to the community’s expectations.

Bunnings Plans New 5-Storey Store with Playground in Frenchs Forest

Bunnings is up for a massive expansion in the Northern Beaches following the approval of a new outlet in Frenchs Forest, which will feature a five-storey hardware store with its own children’s playground.

NSW Planning signed off on the warehouse that will occupy 20,000 square metres of space on the corner of Allambie and Warringah Road.

This will be the first multi-level Bunnings with a playground, as well as a garden centre and a cafe. However, only the third to fifth levels will hold the building supplies, hardware items and some homeware pieces as the first two levels will be set as a parking area for 400 cars.

To make way for this complex, the existing buildings on-site, such as the Australian Post distribution centre and a two-storey office facility, will have to be demolished.

Northern Beaches Council originally didn’t agree to have a giant Bunnings outlet on the lot concerned because of the vehicle access on such a busy intersection. However, Bunnings reached an agreement with the Council to move the store’s main driveway to Rodborough Road. Traffic lights will also be installed in the area when the store is near completion.

Bunnings also agreed to limit the use of green colour scheme in its facade, per the Council’s request. The sizes of the logo and signages will be reduced to 33 percent so as not to distract the drivers.

The store could bring in over 800 jobs during the construction phase and may have about 135 full-time and part-time staff once trading begins.

Bunnings Frenchs Forest has yet to determine an opening date.

Frenchs Forest to Benefit from $19-Million Public Space Upgrade

The NSW Government has committed to the development of public spaces in Frenchs Forest, Beaumont Hills and Kogarah in the next few years. The funds have been earmarked in the 2019-2020 budget, where $19 million shall go to the improvements and addition of green spaces in these particular precincts.

These $19-million projects will be divided into the following:

$9 million for new walking tracks and bike trails in Frenchs Forest.
$6 million for a new playground area and running track at Kempt Field for Kogorah.
$4 million for an open space with nature trail and pathways at Smalls Creek, Caddies Creek and Withers Roads in Beaumont Hills.

In particular, Frenchs Forest will use twelve hectares of land at the Wakehurst Parkway for this open space upgrade.

The decision coincided with the release of the Greater Sydney Outdoor Survey results, where residents said they want more green spaces to walk and bike around. Councillor Rob Stokes said that this will be incorporated in the Strategic Open Spaces program of the government.

“We want public and open spaces to be front and centre when we are planning new infrastructure so that every Sydneysider has access to great outdoor environments within walking distance of their homes,” Mr Stokes said.

“Whether it’s providing new walking tracks or sporting fields, playgrounds or picnic benches, there is so much we can do to ensure our public spaces are fantastic outdoor living rooms.”

The plans for the open space are still in its early stages and a period of consultation with the public will be conducted in the coming months.