local - 2026-04-25

$772 Million Plan to Transform ANZAC Village Draws Resident Opposition

RSL LifeCare's 15-year redevelopment of the Narrabeen veterans' community promises 490 new homes but sparks fears over scale, tree loss and years of construction disruption

For 86 years, ANZAC Village in Narrabeen has stood as one of Sydney's most distinctive communities — a leafy, low-rise enclave nestled in native bushland beside Narrabeen Lake, built to honour and shelter those who served. Now, the organisation that manages it, RSL LifeCare, is seeking approval for the most sweeping transformation in the village's history: a $772 million, 15-year redevelopment that would replace much of the existing low-rise fabric with nearly 30 multi-storey buildings, some rising to eight storeys.

For 86 years, ANZAC Village in Narrabeen has stood as one of Sydney's most distinctive communities — a leafy, low-rise enclave nestled in native bushland beside Narrabeen Lake, built to honour and shelter those who served. Now, the organisation that manages it, RSL LifeCare, is seeking approval for the most sweeping transformation in the village's history: a $772 million, 15-year redevelopment that would replace much of the existing low-rise fabric with nearly 30 multi-storey buildings, some rising to eight storeys. The proposal, lodged as a State Significant Development application with the NSW Government, outlines five construction stages running from 2027 through to approximately 2039. At completion, the village would gain a net increase of 430 retirement living and veterans' homes, bringing the total to nearly 490 new dwellings, alongside a net increase of 50 residential care beds and a range of new community amenities including a pool, gym and upgraded shared spaces. Stage 1, the focus of the current SSD application, is expected to begin in 2027 and will concentrate on the south-west of the site. It proposes 78 new one-, two- and three-bedroom retirement living apartments,...