Assessment completed
IPART has completed its assessment of the contributions that Northern Beaches Council can levy developers in the Frenchs Forest Town Centre precinct.
Developers currently pay a capped contributions amount of $20,000 per dwelling in the precinct. The council has proposed a contributions rate above the cap. Our recommendations would reduce these proposed rates by around $900 to around $25,500 (for a typical 2-bedroom dwelling).
Our assessment ensures that developers pay the reasonable cost of providing local infrastructure required by new developments in the Frenchs Forest Town Centre precinct.
Developers in the Frenchs Forest Town Centre precinct would provide around $26 million to deliver a new Town Centre park and the upgrade and expansion of other local parks pocket parks. A further $38 million will pay for stormwater and road upgrades that service the residents and workers in the new development.
Our main findings and recommendations are:
- The council should update land and works cost estimates, before incorporating changes in the next review of the contributions plan in 3 years’ time.
- Remove the cost of upgrading local parks and reserves that are funded by government grants.
- Remove the costs of the community hub building from the contributions plan.
The Final Report on IPART’s review of Frenchs Forest Town Centre Precinct Section 7.11 Contributions Plan is available on our website.