Dee Why Woolworths to become 280 apartments

Up to 280 apartments are proposed for the Dee Why Woolworths site meaning there are now almost 1000 units approved or being built in the heart of the suburb.

Woolworths confirmed to the Manly Daily it is closing the Dee Why Market store on Oaks Ave, which is one of the chain’s more modern fit-outs, to open a larger store in the under-construction Meriton complex.

The units — which are expected to be formally lodged as a DA with Northern Beaches Council before Easter — would be in addition to the 660 units either being built or having approval this year.

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“The Woolworths store on Oaks Avenue in Dee Why will close permanently and a new Woolworths store will open concurrently in the Meriton Group’s Lighthouse Project once the development is completed later this year,” a spokeswoman for the supermarket chain says.

Woolworths in Oaks Ave had a major fitout in 2009, now it is being closed and the whole centre looks set to be replaced by a major unit and retail development.

Northern Beaches mayor Michael Regan says previous councils have allowed greater development in Dee Why rather than approve widespread density across all of the northern beaches.

“Dee Why was sacrificed for medium to high density living back in late 1990s so as to prevent the issues of dual occupancy across the rest of the peninsula,” he says.

Looking to the future. The view of the Meriton development in Howard Ave which includes 351 units in two 17-storey towers.

“Subsequently it became poorly planned and, as a result, Warringah council has in the past 10 years set about fixing that. It is kind of like retro fitting.”

He says council has increased pedestrian access, created additional open space, more public parking and soon two new local roads and wider footpaths will connect the beach to the town centre.

“The State Government has done its bit with the B-Line and we will be pushing for upgrades and improvements to public transport,” Cr Regan says.

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan says any development of the key Oaks Ave site will need to include a new road linking Oaks Ave and Pacific Pde, Dee Why.

Regan adds that the six to eight-storey height limits for key Dee Why sites had been agreed on decades ago but it is only now that landowners are seeking permission to develop.

“That level of floorspace was all planned for years ago,” he says.

“Dee Why is now becoming a desirable place to live and the B-Line buses will allow Dee Why to grow,” he says.

Regan adds that nothing will be allowed to be taller than the Meriton development, which is 17 storeys, and any development on the Oaks Ave site will require an access road to be built between Oaks Ave and Pacific Pde to take pressure off local roads.

A mix of apartments, including 40 studio units are being built in The Lighthouse in the heart of Dee Why.

The Lighthouse in Howard Ave is a major development with 351 units being built in two 17-storey residential towers offering studio, one, two and three bedroom units

Another two lower buildings — likely to be mixed use — will complete the complex.

An artist’s impression of Osprey, in Pittwater Rd where 125 units are being built.

In addition, 125 units are due to be completed in The Osprey in Pittwater Rd this year and 87 apartments are due to be finished in The Carlyle, also in Pittwater Rd.

Meanwhile, approval has been given for 94 units on a Fisher Rd site and a site on the corner of Oaks Ave and Pittwater Rd has just come to market with the potential for 35 units.

The majority of the units being built are two-bedroom, although most of the developments also offer a number of studio and one-bedroom apartments.

Now the owners of the Dee Why Market site, which runs between Oaks Ave and Pacific Pde, are hoping to develop the land with up to 280 up-market apartments aimed at owner occupiers.

A computer-generated picture of The Carlyle in Dee Why which comprises 87 units.

Aaron Raco, of Belle Property Projects, says a global architect has been engaged to create a green building with alfresco retail spaces, market stalls and cafes, open community spaces and a rooftop pool.

“We have had preliminary talks with council,” Raco says.

A formal application for the major development is expected to be submitted to the Northern Beaches Council before Easter.

“This development will be different, think Central Park,” he says.

“Our aim is to create welcoming retail space with alfresco areas and units that appeal to owner occupiers.”

Records show that the Dee Why centre, on 5840sqm of land, sold in 2014 for $34 million to the investment company Jinyan Dee Why Pty Ltd.

874 Pittwater Rd, Dee Why the former Subway corner site is for sale with potential for 35 units.

Raco says a Chinese mainland developer, who builds up to 12,000 luxury units a year, will be the developer.

“Dee Why is a multicultural suburb and it is important that everyone should feel welcome with everything they need at their fingertips, for example families and people with pets,” he says.

“People from other countries are wanting the Aussie lifestyle with lots of outdoor space,” he said.

The Northern Beaches Council has been working on a masterplan for Dee Why since 2013 introducing a defined town centre, pedestrian plazas, a park, new green space, more parking and improved streetscapes.

AT A GLANCE: 

■ Dee Why currently has about 9000 units

■ 660 units are currently being built, or have approval, in Dee Why

■ Up to 280 more units are planned for Oaks Ave, Dee Why

■ 527 Dee Why units sold last year

■ The median unit price in Dee Why is $807,000 up 15.3% in the last 12 months.

■ This weekend one home in four for sale on the northern beaches is a Dee Why unit.

■ According to the REA Group there are 607 northern beaches homes for sale and 169 of them are units in Dee Why, representing 28%.

This article from the Manly Daily was originally published as “Plan to develop Dee Why shopping centre into more units”.