A proposed $25 million residential subdivision at the corner of Mona Vale Road and Boundary Street in Warriewood has been refused by the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel, ending for now a proposal that would have delivered 63 new homes to the suburb.
Read: Warriewood Townhouse Balcony Proposal Lodged for 8 Forest Road
The development application, lodged last August, sought to transform a 7.4-hectare semi-rural property into 63 residential building blocks under what was named the “Wedgewood Estate.” The refusal was handed down in May 2026.
Roads, a bridge, and unanswered questions
The proposal involved significant infrastructure works. Stage 1 of the concept DA included the construction of a new 430-metre public road and a roughly 100-metre bridge over a creek line corridor at an approximate height of 12 metres on Boundary Street, as well as partial widening of an existing fire trail running through the neighbouring residential flat building development at 8 Forest Road. Further upgrade works were planned along the existing public road between Boundary Street and Jubilee Avenue to improve vehicle access to the proposed estate.
Northern Beaches officials recommended refusal, with planning staff flagging that a number of road access issues remained unresolved. A key concern was whether sufficient detail had been provided to show how neighbouring properties that rely on Boundary Street for access would be able to continue using it during and after construction of the bridge and associated road upgrades. Council staff also raised concerns about potential impacts on public bushland and a lack of services to the proposed subdivision.
The DA was referred to the planning panel rather than decided at council level because the local authority owns a portion of Boundary Street.
The developer requested a time extension on the decision until 30 August to allow further information to be submitted in response to council’s concerns, but the panel proceeded with refusal.
Residents and wildlife in the crosshairs
When the plans were publicly exhibited last September, more than 70 submissions were received, the majority opposing the proposal. Residents raised concerns about the loss of several hectares of bushland that provides habitat for powerful owls and several species of microbats.
Traffic capacity was also a recurring concern. Nearby residents argued that streets including Jubilee Avenue, Daydream Street, Ponderosa Parade, and Forest Road were already struggling to cope during peak morning and afternoon periods.
At the panel meeting, a representative of the developer argued that the use of Forest Road as an access route to the proposed subdivision was not something the applicant had chosen, but rather a direction that had come from the council itself during the assessment process.
Read: Health Alert for Warriewood After Ross River Virus Found in Mosquitoes
Wider housing targets at stake
The refusal has implications beyond the Wedgewood Estate. Northern Beaches is working against a NSW Government target requiring 5,900 additional homes to be delivered across the area by 2029, a figure set under the state’s broader housing supply push.
The application is listed on Northern Beaches Council’s ePlanning portal as DA2025/1087 with a status of “Refused.” The project’s developers have not indicated whether they will resubmit or appeal the decision.
Published 29-May-2026
