Community feedback on the proposed landscape concept works at North Narrabeen Shops has been evaluated and the engagement report is finalised.

The proposal presented was primarily aimed at improving urban infrastructure, with an opportunity to also provide some improvements to public amenity in the area and in relation to the business types in the precinct.

The community feedback received was generally positive in relation to the design initiatives. Some respondents were not supportive of the changes, particularly in relation to the extent of the area being considered for the proposed improvements and the importance of increasing parking in the precinct.

North Narrabeen shops are situated along arterial roads and the level changes from the road to the shop frontages present design challenges and associated costs for ongoing maintenance and for improvements to be made.

Taking these challenges and community feedback into consideration, we have now decided to postpone construction this year and increase the area within the project scope. In doing so, we can plan for further improvement works to be included in the package as well as planning for the continuation of the paving to Wakehurst Parkway in future years when the appropriate funding becomes available.

As part of our Placescore survey completed in 2018, we asked residents across
the Northern Beaches how we could improve our local centres.

The results of the survey showed that the top three priorities for the North Narrabeen shopping strip along Pittwater Road were more outdoor seating options, cleanliness and improvements to vegetation and street trees.

Based on these results, we developed a plan to improve the area in front of the shops between Rickard Road and Gondola Road. The original concept design was prepared in October 2019 and includes:

• a new shaded outdoor seating area
• new bins
• new and widened raised garden beds with new plantings
• drainage improvements
• new pavement
• modifications to the access ramp and terracing of the slope from the footpath to the kerb.