Why Design-Led Development is Rising at ‘Forgotten’ Dee Why

Dee Why has long been one of Sydney’s coastal underachievers. Tucked between in-demand suburbs including Avalon and Manly, the 3.4sq km beachside centre lies about 18km north-east of the CBD. It offers a long stretch of coastline, a designated town centre and planning controls that allow higher-density development. What it has lacked over the past decade is sustained, design-led attention from developers. This now appears to be shifting. New projects—some modest, others more ambitious—are beginning to surface and run the planning gauntlet. ▲ Studio Johnston rendering of proposed shop-top development at 12 The Strand, Dee Why. Architect Conrad Johnston says there was a burst of activity “maybe 10 years ago, but much of what was built was poor quality”. “Since then, plenty of design work has gone in, but very little has made it past the [development application] stage,” the Studio Johnston director says. Studio Johnston has designed a $10-million, four-storey shoptop project at 12 The Strand that is now before the Northern Beaches Council. The 765sq m site, occupied by an ageing takeaway shop, is opposite the beach and rockpool at Dee Why’s southern end, among tired walk-ups and underused retail strips. ▲ The ageing shopfront at 12 The Strand earmarked for redevelopment. If approved, the development would deliver six oversized apartments above two ground-floor retail tenancies plus basement parking accessed via the rear lane. The first level would comprise two three-bedroom apartments, with two four-bedroom homes on each of the upper floors. The practice worked on a similar beachside project at Freshwater—four three-bedroom luxury apartments with ocean views at 13 Lodge Lane—approved under the same council. “We thought we’d have to go to court, but they were actually quite supportive,” Johnston says. He says market conditions in smaller coastal pockets are improving. “The rates are finally hitting a point where quality development becomes viable. Once a few well-designed projects land strong prices, the rest will follow. “The Strand might be small but it’s a prime spot—and could set a benchmark for the area. We think our units could go for $8 to $10 million.” ▲ Rendering of Studio Johnston’s approved ocean view project at Freshwater. Another application before the council, at 154-158 Pacific Parade, proposes an $11-million redevelopment at the southern gateway to Dee Why’s beachside centre. The plans would replace an ageing lowrise block with two ground-floor shops and nine apartments—ranging from one to three bedrooms—above two levels of basement parking. At the larger end of the scale, Landmark Group’s Casa Delmar will deliver 283 apartments across two buildings on a 7830sq m site at 4 Delmar Parade and 812 Pittwater Road. The project was approved by the NSW Independent Planning Commission late last year following a height uplift granted under the state’s affordable housing bonus scheme. Northern Beaches Council had objected to the additional two storeys but the revised scheme was ultimately cleared—unlocking one of the suburb’s largest residential developments in years. ▲ Rendering of Landmark Group ’ s Casa Delmar at 4 Delmar Parade and 812 Pittwater Road. Landmark Group says demolition, excavation and the basement structure are now complete, with the superstructure well advanced. The two buildings will rise six and ten storeys and include more than 800sq m of retail space. More than 60 per cent of apartments have already sold, with one-bedroom homes from $750,000, two-bedders from $1.1 million, and three-bedrooms from $1.5 million. Johnston says much of the housing between Pittwater Road and the beach consists of ageing walk-ups or dense, poorly regarded towers from the previous development cycle. This mix, he says, is ready for renewal. Buyers respond as quality lifts Agents on the ground say buyer sentiment is also shifting. DiJones Northern Beaches licensee Aaron Raco says there’s a “definite appetite for coastal, convenient, newer product—especially if it’s well located”. Completed in late 2018, Meriton’s Lighthouse project delivered 351 apartments across two towers, along with a full-line supermarket and 16,000sq m of retail. ▲ DiJones Northern Beaches licensee Aaron Raco. Raco says the development—still achieving strong prices—has reset expectations in the market. “They get phenomenal prices in there,” he says. “It shows people will pay if the product is right. “Developers are starting to see Dee Why as a more compelling proposition. There’s strong rental demand, values are climbing and the area’s reputation is shifting.” According to the 2021 Census, Dee Why is home to more than 23,000 people, with a growing population of young professionals and downsizers. Apartments account for nearly 80 per cent of homes. Figures published by NE Aspect put the suburb’s median house price at $3 million, and three-bedroom apartments are averaging $1.7 million. The average unit price is $922,500. Vacancy rates remain low across the board, while stock levels are limited. Raco says buyers are increasingly drawn to the suburb’s mix of coastal amenity and urban access. “It’s got everything people want—transport, medical, shopping, access to the city and beaches,” he says. “The suburb just needs a bit more attention and a bit more in terms of DA approvals and support to get those elevated products through.” Planning updates and new momentum Public investment has also helped lift the area’s profile. Dee Why’s masterplan, introduced in 2013, continues to deliver upgrades to parks, is steadily delivering upgrades to parks, plazas, community centres and pedestrian links. The natural setting remains a major drawcard. Dee Why Beach stretches more than 1km and is backed by parklands, cafes, ocean pools and coastal tracks. The nearby lagoon and reserve offer additional open space, while B-Line buses and expanded parking connect residents with the CBD in under an hour. According to the Northern Beaches Council, early signs suggest the NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy—introduced in February—is beginning to influence activity. The policy applies to land within 800m of town centres or transport hubs, criteria that by many parts of Dee Why meet. While several recent proposals, including 12 The Strand, were already progressing through planning, the council says there is renewed interest in sites that may benefit from the new uplift provisions. With limited stock, rising prices and emerging planning flexibility, Dee Why is attracting design-led attention—this time, with momentum behind it.

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