Frenchs Forest

Frenchs Forest is set to become a strategic centre based around the Northern Beaches Hospital and improved transport links.

We have worked with the community, Northern Beaches Council, School Infrastructure NSW, Transport for NSW and other agencies to revitalise Frenchs Forest and create a new town centre.

The Frenchs Forest 2041 Place Strategy will help implement phase one of the Northern Beaches Council Hospital Precinct Structure Plan.

From Term One 2026, the Forest High School started operating at 187 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights with 73 modern classrooms, three Special Support Units and capacity for 1,500 students.

Property and Development NSW are running a Registration of Interest for the former high school site at 135 Frenchs Forest Road West, Frenchs Forest. Developers can register their interest via the NSW Government's eTendering portal RFI-2015262 by 3 pm (AEST) on Tuesday 30 June 2026.

Register your interest

The Frenchs Forest 2041 Place Strategy was finalised on 17 December 2021.

The place strategy will deliver:

• a new town centre with shops, restaurants, cafes and offices
• 1.5 ha of new public open space including a 1,665 m² plaza
• easier walking and cycling connections and upgrades to local roads, 2,000 new jobs, mainly in health and education to support the Northern Beaches Hospital
• 2,000 new homes (1,000 of these in the town centre; 1,000 in the adjacent residential areas) with a range of housing including townhouses, terraces, apartments and aged care; and homes for essential workers such as nurses and paramedics.

The place strategy is supported by a Special Infrastructure Contribution (SIC), which will help provide up to $37.3 million to pay for the infrastructure needed for the development of Frenchs Forest, including:

• improved active transport and green connections to Manly Dam
• investigation for a bus interchange across Warringah Road
• investigation for a rapid bus service via Warringah Road between Dee Why and Chatswood.

The draft Frenchs Forest 2041 Place Strategy was on public exhibition from 23 July to 3 September 2021.

See the exhibition documents and submissions on the NSW Planning Portal.

Find out how we responded to your feedback by reading our What We Heard report (PDF, 1.8 MB).

The Forest High School relocated to its new site at 187 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights in 2026. The process to develop a new town centre at the former high school site has begun.

Find out more about the relocation of The Forest High School at School Infrastructure NSW.

Northern Beaches Council prepared an amendment to the Warringah Development Control Plan to support the Frenchs Forest Place Strategy. You can see the DCP amendment along with the Affordable Housing Scheme and Tenancy Guidelines at Northern Beaches Council.

Council will assess Development Applications against its Local Environmental Plan, supporting Development Control Plan and the French Forest 2041 Place Strategy.