Millions of new apartments? What the new rules actually allow
Six storeys near nine Northern Beaches centres sounds like a flood of apartments. What the rules really allow, where, and what it means for you.
Josh Bryan (Updated )
No, millions of new apartments are not about to appear on the Northern Beaches. But the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy has changed what can be built within walking distance of nine of our main centres, and that matters if you are buying here.
When the policy was announced, some of the reaction sounded like the whole area was about to be rebuilt overnight. The reality is slower, smaller and more uneven than that. It depends on the street, and on how the land is zoned.
Nine centres, 800 metres each
The rules apply to residential land within an 800 metre walk of nine centres:
- Manly
- Balgowlah
- Manly Vale
- Dee Why
- Warringah Mall, Brookvale
- Forestville town centre
- Forestway shopping centre, Frenchs Forest
- the Frenchs Forest precinct on Warringah Road
- Mona Vale town centre
They do not apply to bushfire-prone land, some coastal and wetland areas, or heritage items. Northern Beaches Council's summary of the policy links to the state's map, so you can check a particular street.
Six storeys only on some land
What can go up depends on the zoning, and six storeys is the exception, not the rule. Since 28 February 2025:
- On low-density land (zoned R2, where most detached houses sit): dual occupancies, terraces, townhouses and small apartment buildings up to 9.5 metres, which is two to three storeys.
- On medium-density land (zoned R3): apartment buildings up to six storeys within 400 metres of the centre, and up to four storeys between 400 and 800 metres.
Separately, dual occupancies have been allowed with council approval on low-density land across the whole council area since 1 July 2024. In the former Warringah council area, that now applies only to blocks over 800 square metres.
The big numbers are in Brookvale
If you are looking around Brookvale, this is where the genuinely large changes are planned, and neither has been approved yet.
Council's Brookvale Precinct plan sets out around 2,900 new homes by 2041, with some buildings up to 25 storeys where they deliver public benefits. It is waiting on state approval before it goes out for community feedback.
Warringah Mall is on a separate track. Scentre Group, which owns the centre, has applied to the state for up to 1,500 apartments in eight towers of 12 to 39 storeys.
At the end of September 2026, the NSW Planning Portal still listed it as preparing its environmental impact statement. It has not been put on public exhibition, let alone approved.
What it means if you are buying
For most buyers the change is gradual, and it cuts both ways.
- Buying a house near one of these centres? Check the zoning of the neighbours, not just the house you want. The block next door could become townhouses or a small apartment building.
- Buying a block with room to develop? Some sites now carry real upside, and sellers know it. Make sure the price reflects what you can actually build, after the setbacks, the height limit and the council's design controls, which changed on 15 September 2025.
- Buying new? Tread carefully. There are some great developers and some very well built new apartments. Others leave a lot to be desired, and some of what we see week in, week out is shocking. Judge a developer on their finished buildings, not their renders.
Council is already receiving development applications under the new rules. Its application tracker shows what has been lodged near a property before you commit.
Why more homes is no bad thing
More homes near the centres is not the threat it is sometimes made out to be. Nurses, teachers, police and the other people who keep the Beaches running need somewhere they can afford to live. And plenty of people who grew up here would like a way to stay.
Traffic and infrastructure are the fair concern, and you will hear plenty about them. Council is pressing the state for the road and public transport upgrades to match the growth. That argument is worth having, but it is a reason to plan well, not to stop.
Before you sign
A house near a centre, a block with upside and a new apartment each need different checks. Zoning, neighbouring sites, the builder's record and what is in the development pipeline all change what a property is worth. That is the work we do before you sign anything.
