business - 2026-06-02

Council votes to sell North Balgowlah creek-adjacent land despite resident push for larger buffer

Source: manlyobserver.com.au

Councillors at Northern Beaches Council have voted to sell a parcel of council-owned land bordering Burnt Bridge Creek in North Balgowlah, approving a plan that expands the protected creek buffer but stops short of what local residents had been pushing for.

Councillors at Northern Beaches Council have voted to sell a parcel of council-owned land bordering Burnt Bridge Creek in North Balgowlah, approving a plan that expands the protected creek buffer but stops short of what local residents had been pushing for. The decision was deferred from April's council meeting specifically so neighbouring residents could be consulted on the options. Despite that consultation, the adopted plan does not retain the street-front portion of the land as public open space — the central ask from the community. The block at 2 Bangaroo Street was first flagged for sale in 2022 as an "underutilised" asset, but that attempt was suspended after community outcry over the bushland along Burnt Bridge Creek. Council returned in April with two options, both creating three residential lots: Option 1 with a 1,536 square metre creek buffer zone, and Option 2 with a larger 1,965 square metre buffer. After meeting with neighbours, Manly councillor Sarah Grattan of the Your Northern Beaches Independent Team brought a third option to the May meeting. Option 3 would have retained the street frontage up to the council stormwater area as public land, protected a large gum...