A development application to subdivide the former Narrabeen RSL Club site in North Narrabeen into 17 residential lots is now open for public submissions, bringing the 1.88-hectare Nareen Parade property one step closer to becoming a housing estate.
The proposal, lodged under DA2026/0264, seeks a community title subdivision of the site at 116 Nareen Parade into 17 lots and one community lot, with each lot intended to accommodate a stand-alone house. A community playground is also included in the plans. Submissions close on 22 April 2026.
From Beloved Live Music Venue to Vacant Block
The Narrabeen RSL Memorial and Recreation Club, known universally to locals as The Razza, was one of the Northern Beaches’ most cherished community venues. Established in 1947 and located in a forested glade at the end of a quiet backstreet in North Narrabeen, the three-storey club had at various points hosted live music, lawn bowls, bistro dining and the Sunk cocktail bar, which was once voted the best bar on the Northern Beaches. Bands including The Hoodoo Gurus, Mental As Anything and The Angels all played the venue over the decades.
The club closed its doors in February 2022, initially described as a temporary measure. A statement from the board at the time cited “an ongoing pandemic, restrictions on singing and dancing, minimal government support as well as difficult landlord and rent negotiations.” Within weeks it was clear the closure was permanent, with the club entering voluntary administration in March 2022. Despite having around 3,500 members, it could not recover from the financial damage of the COVID-19 lockdown years.
The ownership structure behind the site is worth understanding. The Narrabeen RSL sub-branch, a separate entity from the club itself, owned the property on which The Razza operated. After the club went under, the sub-branch explored leasing the premises to another operator but ultimately decided to sell, citing its obligations as a charity to maximise income for the support of veterans and their families. A local developer purchased the 1.88-hectare site in October 2024 for $15.4 million through Savills.
The Path to Demolition
The sale triggered a push toward demolition, which drew 58 objections from the community versus just two supporting submissions when the application went through. Residents raised concerns about environmental impacts, flood risks and increased traffic. The independent Northern Beaches Planning Panel approved the demolition in June 2025 and required the developer to secure and maintain the site after the works to prevent asbestos exposure and protect public safety.
Contractors have since demolished the building, clearing the site for its next chapter.
What the Subdivision Proposes
The development application proposes 17 individual residential blocks and one community lot on the 1.88-hectare site, which has dual street frontage to Nareen Parade and Eungai Place. Environmental documents supporting the application show the developers have designed the residential lots to avoid flood prone areas and will restore vegetation across the site as part of the works.
“The proposed residential lots have been designed and sited to be safe from flooding hazard, with the final subdivision layout managing to avoid and minimise impacts on native trees as far as practical,” the statement of environmental effects states.
Locals raised concerns about the scale of the development during earlier stages of the process, including its environmental footprint and the traffic impact on the quiet backstreets surrounding the site.
More Than Just a Building for Locals
For many Northern Beaches residents, the loss of The Razza went beyond nostalgia for a particular building. The club had served as a rare affordable community gathering space on a peninsula where such venues are scarce, and its live music program had been a genuine anchor for local acts and touring bands alike. When it closed, the booking team that had run its music program moved to Manly Leagues, carrying some of the spirit of the venue’s programming with them.
Community submissions show that residents are not only responding to the scale of the development, but also to how it interacts with the site’s constraints. Concerns around flood risk, infrastructure capacity and pedestrian safety recur throughout, with locals pointing to recent flood events and existing drainage pressures as unresolved issues, alongside gaps in footpath infrastructure that could become more pronounced as traffic increases.
At the same time, the response reflects a deeper unease about how the character of the area may change. Residents describe the valley setting as a quiet, enclosed environment where sound, movement and environmental changes are felt more intensely. Concerns about habitat loss, increased noise and traffic, and the cumulative impact on surrounding streets point to a tension between accommodating new housing and maintaining the qualities that define the area.
While the C4 Environmental Living zoning and 8.5-metre height limit will keep future homes low scale, the transition marks a broader shift away from a shared community space toward a more private residential landscape.
Have Your Say
The subdivision application for 116 Nareen Parade, North Narrabeen, reference DA2026/0264, is on public exhibition until 22 April 2026. Submissions can be lodged here. For general enquiries, contact Northern Beaches on 02 9942 2111.
Published 04-April-2026
Featured Image Credit: Elo Architecture
