Between 1000-1500 Narrabeen and Pittwater residents gathered on Saturday morning, November 8, to protest against a DA submitted to the State Government via the State Significant Development pathway, which enables proposals to bypass local council planning controls and makes the government's Planning Department the decision maker.
The DA was open for feedback for 14 days, from October 23 to November 5 2025, and with no advertising or Notices, it was locals making others aware that this had been lodged and where they now had to submit comments to, that ensured any local voices heard.
The Exhibition period was extended by 1 day to 6 November 2025 'due to technical issues with the NSW Planning Portal'.
The DA proposes the demolition of the existing Wesley Taylor Narrabeen site and establishing a seniors housing development 'for over 60s'. The construction proposes a 5 to 6 storey seniors housing development of over 21 metres in height, with 3 levels of basement car parking spaces (192 in total including 7 for visitors), 149 independent living units listed as 44 x 2B units; 59 x 2B + study units; and 46 x 3B units, and a 10 bed residential care facility.
The project seeks to remove 69 trees (24 of which are significant) and will retain 13 trees (7 significant trees and 6 non-significant). The trees to be retained are neighbouring trees and those on the periphery of the site including the well-established Norfolk Island Pine trees located along the Ocean Street and Octavia Street frontage. Any understory of these trees will likely be removed and re-landscaped, the EIS states.
The proponents documents show they are applying for a BDAR Waiver Request.
A BDAR Waiver Request is an application to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment to waive the requirement for a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) for a project, which can only be applied for by a proponent of a State Significant Development (SSD) or State Significant Infrastructure (SSI) project. So any wildlife that feeds on the trees to be removed, or lives in these trees, would not be considered.
The planting of 54 new native trees is also proposed, within the site.
The bulk of these trees are being removed as the whole site will be excavated to facilitate the basement parking spaces. Residents have pointed out that digging downwards three levels will be digging into the water-table. And this stretch of Narrabeen is also famous for flooding.
The plan to remove the century-old Norfolk Island Pines has not been popular with locals.
''These trees are part of Narrabeen’s living heritage. They frame our coastline, shelter wildlife, and hold stories that span generations. Offset planting cannot replace a century of growth, nor the beauty and presence of these mature trees.'' residents Belinda, Sascha and Hannah told Pittwater Online this week.
''This development affects far more than the landscape — it threatens the character of our neighbourhood and the calm of the lagoon area. Many residents aren’t yet aware of what’s at stake, and it’s important that we help spread the word.''
''These Norfolk Pines have stood watch for a century. Let’s stand for them now.''
Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby attended the protest, pointing out the LEP (Local Environment Plan) allowed for 8.5metres or 2-3 storey buildings in this vicinity, which could be stretched to 12.3 metres under state government policy.
The site, comprising 156-164 Ocean Street, 81-81A Lagoon Street and 8 Octavia Street Narrabeen, which would be completely filled with the high-rise buildings, was the former Wesley Taylor Narrabeen aged care home.
Wesley Taylor Narrabeen was Wesley Mission’s longest running aged care facility, opening its doors in 1929 as ‘The Outlook’, a home for aged men of 'reduced means', and expanding to become the WG Taylor Memorial Home in 1935.
It was named to honour the Rev. William George Taylor who became the first Superintendent of Wesley Mission in 1884.
The Wesley Methodists' came into possession of the site at Narrabeen after the premature death of then owner Lebbeus Hordern (31 May, 1891 to 10 September, 1928), and expanded the facility and its land holding over the decades.
Wesley homes for elderly people were primarily funded through donations from the congregations and the broader public. This enabled the Methodist Church to provide care for the elderly, especially those who were poor or disadvantaged.
On Thursday April 13 2023 Wesley Mission announced it will close its three remaining Sydney aged care homes: Wesley Rayward Carlingford, Wesley Taylor Narrabeen, and Wesley Vickery Sylvania. CEO and Superintendent, Rev. Stuart Cameron said several factors drove the decision.See April 2023 report: Wesley Taylor Narrabeen to close – will be sold to Developers: + a few history insights into the 93 year run of this home for the elderly
“The Aged Care sector is experiencing challenges to workforce and flow-on impacts from the national reforms to Aged Care. Wesley Mission supports these once-in-a-generation reforms, improving quality for all care users,” Mr Cameron stated
Wesley Aged Care appointed business MyCarePath to support those residents still living there to move as they closed the facility.
“At this stage, we anticipate closing our centres at the end of May 2023, and before then, we will be doing all we can to support residents in choosing a new home that meets their needs. We will also be supporting affected staff to find a new role, or with assistance to find a role at a different provider,” Mr. Cameron said.
The Narrabeen site was offered for sale and by September 2023 Retirement By Moran had beat over a dozen others to secure the site, with the sale finalised in 2024.
Sally Taylor, Managing Director of Retirement by Moran, used the October 30 2025 Westpac Conversations at the Wharf luncheon to outline the State Significant Development Application for Indigo by Moran at Narrabeen.
“We have had 145 people or couples already asking to see the floor plans, which is very pleasing,” Ms Taylor said.
Care for the suites will be delivered by rebranded Videri, formerly Group Homes Australia, the first partnership between the dementia home innovator and a village operator.
“We see this partnership as a fantastic model for our industry. It provides a great option to retirement village operators, like ourselves, who do not want to be care providers, to partner with those who do this extremely well,” Ms Taylor said.
On Saturday morning one gentleman spoke up for younger Narrabeen residents, stating:
''Should this go ahead as proposed this street frontage will be gridlocked 7 days a week. Our children will no longer be able to safely walk or ride their bikes to the beach.''
''This is about community standing up for community.''
Overriding community vision and voices will be further eroded in what Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby has labelled 'Developer-led legislation' set to be passed by the end of this year.
''These reforms - backed by both the [incumbent] Government and the Liberal Party - will override local planning controls and sideline community voices in development decisions.'' Ms Scruby told a community forum at Mona Vale on the state government's next changes to Planning Laws on Monday night, November 3.
''I oppose these sweeping, developer-led reforms.
Pittwater is ready to do its part to address the housing crisis, but our community must have a say in how growth happens and that growth should be in line with our planning scheme. I’ll continue to fight for planning that reflects our local character, infrastructure, and values. The people of Pittwater deserve better.''
Follow up report to September 2025 report State Government's Latest Planning system reforms set off Alarm Bells in Community, Local Government, Environment Groups will run next Sunday, November 16 - after the NSW Parliament returns to sit this Tuesday November 11, Remembrance Day.
The incumbent's latest planning reforms bill, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025, supported by the coalition, has stalled in the Upper House as the Greens seek to move amendments.
On Thursday October 23, the most recent sitting day in the NSW Parliament, the proposed laws were debated in the NSW Upper House as part of the ordinary process of Parliament, and the 10pm adjournment of debate paused the debate until the sitting weeks in November.
Greens MP Sue Higginson, public interest environmental lawyer and spokesperson for planning, said then:
“Laws are introduced into the Parliament, they are debated and amendments discussed - that’s what happens in our democracy. As part of that debate on these laws, the Greens have been working to get corruption protections, environmental protections and community oversight as part of the Premier’s reforms, just like we were elected to,”
“We have tried very hard to work with the Government to make these reforms all about housing, but the Government would not support us to make these reforms actually address residential developments. The fact is the laws will impact every single development across the state, they open the door to corruption and wind back environmental protections like we’ve never seen before,”
“We are raising the concerns that have been put on the table by the Centre for Public Integrity, Lock the Gate, the Environmental Defenders Office, Total Environment Centre, Local Government NSW, NSW Farmers, Bushfire Protection Association, Australian Institute of Architects, Better Planning Network, Nature Conservation Council, Councils across New South Wales, and so many members of the community,”
One Liberal member stated during the Upper House debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025, the bill was about:
'’getting government out of the way and letting developers build houses’’.
Which, in essence, devolves the point of having a government or laws or politicians to begin with, and does not admit to where else the broad changes could apply - fast-tracked mining projects, cutting down the last few plants of an already critically endangered species or killing off the last of a near-extinct animal, for profit - along with by-passing councils, residents and infrastructure needs large-scale developments would require.
Narrabeen resident Belinda Porteous Geros stated:
''Moran has been quoted saying they are surprised by the “toxicity and aggression of the community shown toward this development” despite the fact the state deemed Narrabeen as 'inappropriate for any mid to high rise development due to its extreme vulnerability to coastal erosion and instability'.
''Yet Moran think it’s ok to build a 6 storey 21m high building when the maximum in the area is 8.5m. They wonder why we are upset about them removing 28 A1 trees, some of which have been here longer than all of us and are integral to the ground stability and habitat to local bird life.
This development will remove all sun from neighbouring properties for 3 months of the year and it will add more traffic and parking congestion for an area that’s already at it’s maximum - and they are “surprised” by the pushback!!!
''When we asked for a sit down with Sally Taylor from Moran to discuss this with the community they refused and stand behind the coattails of the State Government's new planning reforms.
This is not just about Narrabeen anymore... this is about all suburbs - we need to protect the future of our communities because it appears these developers really don’t give a damn.
This isn’t about affordable housing, and this development certainly isn’t about aged care as they are reducing the number of assisting living age care beds down to 10 when previously this building housed 55.''
Under the State Government's Low and Mid-Rise policy which commenced this year, proposals for 6-storey buildings up to 24 metres in height close to town centres and transport hubs have to be approved.
The site, of 9,234sqm just metres from the beach, is zoned R3. In R3 zoned land, the height limit depends on its proximity to a town centre or station. Within 400 meters, residential flat buildings can reach a maximum height of 22 meters (about 6 storeys), and shop-top housing can be up to 24 meters (also about 6 storeys). Between 400 and 800 meters from a centre, the height limit is 17.5 meters (about 4 storeys).
The site being 900 metres from the Narrabeen B-line bus stop - and opposite where coastal erosion is occurring - may limit this DA's scope, but as the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025 is set to shift more DA's away from councils and under the state government for fast-tracked approvals, residents will have to be checking the NSW Planning Department's portals regularly to see what has been submitted that they may wish to provide local knowledge or feedback on.
Especially when residents find proposals are 'over the top' of what is reasonable in flood-impacted, coastal environment zones.
See February 2025 report: Mona Vale Set to Become Dee Why of Pittwater Under NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise policy
The 'Indigo by Moran' development for over 60s, with a starting price of $1.5m, is a long way from the seniors home for the poor established through community donations on the same site.
Photos supplied by one of the Pittwater residents that attended and supported the 'Narrabeen says No' protest, Anna Maria Monticelli.
