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Brookvale Weighs Two Planning Approaches Around Warringah Mall

Two separate Warringah Mall plans set out different approaches for Brookvale on housing density, building height, affordable housing and public space, with each progressing through a different planning process.

Two Approaches To Growth Around Warringah Mall

NBC’s draft Brookvale Precinct Planning Proposal covers the wider suburb, including the Warringah Mall site, and provides a long-term framework for housing, employment, infrastructure and public space.

Across Brookvale, the proposal allows for up to 2,900 new homes while retaining industrial land and providing another 49,500sqm of employment floor space. Growth would be linked to public infrastructure and public-domain upgrades, with transport and road improvements among the priorities.

For Warringah Mall itself, NBC’s plan provides for 850 dwellings and buildings up to 25 storeys. It also includes a 10 per cent affordable housing target in perpetuity, about 2,500sqm of community facilities and a 5,000sqm public town square.

Scentre Group, which owns and operates Westfield Warringah Mall, is separately progressing a state significant proposal under SSD-83464714.

Its plans include buildings ranging from 12 to 39 storeys, making the maximum height 14 storeys above that contemplated for the mall under NBC’s proposal.

Housing And Affordability Differ Between Plans

Different documents give different dwelling totals for Scentre Group’s proposal.

The NSW Planning Portal describes a concept involving eight development blocks accommodating 1,500 dwellings. NBC’s comparison describes the proposal as providing up to 1,600 dwellings, while Scentre Group’s consultation material refers to 1,300 new homes.

That consultation also says development consent for another 300 homes could be sought after 2046 if supported by NBC traffic modelling.

Affordable housing is another point of difference. NBC’s plan sets a 10 per cent target at Warringah Mall in perpetuity, while its comparison of Scentre Group’s proposal lists 5 per cent affordable housing for 15 years.

Different Plans For Community Space

NBC proposes about 2,500sqm of community facilities at Warringah Mall and a single 5,000sqm public open space or town square.

Its comparison of Scentre Group’s proposal lists about 2,000sqm of community facilities and three open spaces totalling 5,252sqm. Scentre Group’s own consultation material separately refers to about 6,000sqm of open space as part of its concept.

The Scentre proposal is intended to be delivered progressively over about 20 years.

community infrastructure — Photo Credit: UrbanTalk

Transport and parking would also form part of that staged development. Scentre Group’s material provides for Stage 1 funding towards local road network works, including a contribution to the Cross Street and Pittwater Road intersection upgrade.

Parking for residents and workers is intended to be incorporated into individual development stages, while parking use across Warringah Mall would be monitored at defined points as work progresses.

Warringah Mall Plans Move Through Separate Processes

NBC’s Brookvale Precinct Planning Proposal is with the NSW Government for consideration before planned public exhibition in 2027. Community feedback would then be considered before NBC makes final decisions on the proposal.

Scentre Group’s state significant proposal remains at the Environmental Impact Statement preparation stage, with formal public exhibition yet to begin.

Warringah Mall — Photo Credit: UrbanTalk

Preliminary engagement has already included a community webinar, face-to-face sessions and a pop-up exhibition during August 2026. A community survey held from 31 July to 16 August attracted more than 400 responses.

Once the state significant proposal reaches formal public exhibition, members of the community will be able to lodge submissions through the NSW assessment process.

Published 5-September-2026

Allambie Road Among Pothole Hotspots as Repair Methods Face Review

Allambie Road has been named among Northern Beaches roads affected by potholes as councillors consider alternatives to temporary patching. Northern Beaches Council repaired more than 9,000 potholes across its road network in the 12 months to June.

Council weighs longer-lasting pothole treatments

Cr Vincent De Luca is seeking a review of pothole repair materials and techniques used by other Australian councils and road authorities. His proposal asks staff to examine more durable options, including full-depth asphalt patching and polymer-modified asphalt.

Northern Beaches Council says temporary pothole repairs can cost between $30 and $200 per hole, depending on the location and work required. Interim repairs are used to keep damaged roads safe before longer-term treatment is undertaken, while recurring failures can lead to heavier patching or resurfacing.

Questions about the durability of temporary repairs have previously been raised with the council. In September 2025, De Luca asked about repairs failing after rainfall and whether more cost-effective long-term methods had been investigated.

*Photo Credit: Northern Beaches Council*

Wet weather adds pressure to damaged roads

Council has said prolonged rain can allow water to enter cracks in road surfaces, weakening pavement as traffic continues to pass over affected areas. During a wet period in 2025, 1,568 potholes were recorded between July and August, with 1,355 made safe.

Longer-term treatments used across the Northern Beaches include crack sealing, microsurfacing, heavy patching and road resurfacing. Additional funding from the council’s Special Variation to rates has supported road maintenance and renewal projects across the Northern Beaches, including works in several suburbs where potholes have been reported.

McIntosh Road moves to major pavement works

McIntosh Road between Dee Why and Narraweena has drawn particular attention after repeated pothole complaints. Council has said about $1.5 million will be spent on the worst-affected section, including pavement strengthening, kerb and gutter replacement and resurfacing.

A separate Australian Government project listing for McIntosh Road records an estimated project cost of $1.25 million and describes the pavement as affected by cracks, potholes and patches.

Broader renewal work is continuing across the area. Council reported $1.41 million in road resurfacing during April across Bayview, Beacon Hill, Dee Why, Narraweena and North Balgowlah.

ConnectSydney separately completed about 532 pothole repairs on contracted state roads in the Northern Beaches local government area from January 2025.

Residents can report council-road damage to Northern Beaches Council, while potholes on state roads including Warringah, Pittwater and Mona Vale roads are handled through the NSW Government.

Published 27-Aug-2026

Brookvale Precinct Planning Proposal Sets Out a Different Brookvale by 2041

Photo Credit: NBC

Brookvale could accommodate approximately 2,900 new homes by 2041 alongside a town square, new parks, community facilities and additional employment space under a planning proposal that seeks to increase housing while retaining the suburb’s industrial and business role.

The Brookvale Precinct Planning Proposal sets out how the Northern Beaches’ largest employment centre could develop over the next 15 years, bringing more housing into an area already characterised by industrial land, businesses, health services, an emerging arts scene and a growing micro-brewery industry.

About 16 kilometres northeast of the Sydney CBD, Brookvale contains 86 hectares of industrial land and is served by major roads and high-frequency B-line bus services. Its role as both an employment hub and accessible centre has shaped plans for accommodating further residential and commercial growth.

The current proposal moves beyond the framework adopted for Brookvale less than three years ago.

Housing Capacity More Than Doubles From Earlier Plan

Planning for Brookvale’s longer-term development began in 2015 under the former Warringah Council and continued through several rounds of community consultation.

Northern Beaches Council adopted the Brookvale Structure Plan on 28 November 2023. At that stage, the plan provided for 1,350 new dwellings and 900 jobs over 15 years, alongside a town centre around the B-line stop, public open space, community facilities and improved walking and cycling connections.

The latest proposal provides capacity for approximately 2,900 homes across the precinct by 2041.

The increase followed further feasibility testing and detailed transport studies. Rising construction costs, changing market conditions and infrastructure requirements also led to the earlier dwelling yields being reconsidered.

Rather than dealing with individual development proposals in isolation, the planning framework is intended to coordinate housing, employment growth and infrastructure across the precinct.

Brookvale urban planning — Photo Credit: NBC

New Public Spaces Would Reshape Parts of Brookvale

Some of the most visible changes proposed for Brookvale involve land currently used for roads, parking and established commercial or industrial activity.

More than one hectare of new open space is planned across three locations.

A 5,000sqm town square would form one of the main public spaces, while another 3,200sqm open-space area is proposed in the northern part of the precinct.

The existing Winbourne Road car park would be converted into a 2,600sqm park, with replacement parking proposed underground.

Community infrastructure would accompany the new open spaces. Plans identify a 2,650sqm community facility within the town square and another 1,000sqm facility in the northern part of Brookvale.

The changes extend beyond those individual sites. Wider footpaths, pedestrian laneways, upgraded cycling infrastructure and additional street tree planting are included in the proposal, together with new local road connections.

Further advocacy for B-line bus services also forms part of the transport measures.

Pittwater Road is another focus of the planning work, with the proposal seeking public-domain improvements along the corridor while accommodating more housing, employment and activity within the wider precinct.

Brookvale Precinct Planning Proposal — Photo Credit: NBC

Industrial and Creative Uses Remain Part of the Plan

Despite the increase in housing capacity, the proposal retains Brookvale’s industrial land and provides for additional employment space rather than replacing its existing employment function.

Approximately 49,500sqm of new employment floor space is proposed.

Protections are also intended to remain for industrial, creative and business uses, maintaining space for the activities already operating across the precinct as residential development increases.

That approach differs from a redevelopment model based solely on additional apartments. Brookvale’s industrial areas, small businesses, health services, arts activity and micro-breweries remain part of the planning framework alongside new homes and public spaces.

Affordable housing is also included. The proposal identifies a 5 per cent affordable housing target throughout the precinct and a 10 per cent target for the Warringah Mall site, with affordable housing intended for key workers.

Planning for the Warringah Mall mixed-use redevelopment is proceeding separately through a State Significant Development process.

Some Buildings Could Reach 25 Storeys

The Brookvale Precinct Planning Proposal would also allow additional building height and floor space on selected sites.

Some locations could accommodate buildings of up to 25 storeys, but those opportunities would be available where identified public benefits are provided.

The proposed framework links growth to the delivery of infrastructure and public-domain improvements rather than treating additional development capacity separately from those works.

A contributions levy would apply to development to fund required public-domain infrastructure and road upgrades.

A Development Control Plan and Contributions Plan are also being prepared to support the site-specific planning proposal and are expected to be considered separately.

Brookvale Proposal Still Faces Public Exhibition

The latest step was taken on 21 July 2026, when Northern Beaches Council resolved to progress the amended planning proposal to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for Gateway approval.

The proposal had previously been endorsed by the Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel on 3 June 2026.

As of August 2026, Gateway approval was still being awaited.

Approval at that stage would not make the proposed changes final. It would allow the planning proposal to proceed to formal public exhibition, giving residents, businesses and other stakeholders another opportunity to provide feedback.

The responses would then be presented at a future Council meeting before further decisions are made about the planning controls that would guide Brookvale towards 2041.

Published 31-July-2026

The 174X Problem Frustrating Allambie Heights Commuters

Keolis Nortern Beaches

Allambie Heights residents who depend on the 174X express to get to work have been living with a simple, maddening experience: watching the bus countdown tick from five minutes to four, to one, to now, and then disappear from the app entirely. The bus never comes.

Ghost buses, overcrowded services, and outright cancellations have made the 174X and sister route 172X the most complained-about routes on the Northern Beaches, drawing intense public scrutiny as clear examples of a network under serious strain.

A route locals rely on

The Northern Beaches has no train line. No tram network. Limited park-and-ride capacity.

For Allambie Heights residents, the bus is not a preference, it is the only practical way to get to the CBD without driving. When the 174X fails, there is no fallback.

The route runs from Narraweena through Warringah Road, picking up passengers through Allambie Heights before heading express to Wynyard, a journey of around 44 minutes when it runs on time.

Parliamentary statements from residents describe every second service being cancelled over extended periods, buses arriving already packed full, and commuters being left behind at stops with no alternative.

The problem spreads beyond one stop

Brookvale’s Warringah Mall interchange is the Northern Beaches’ busiest bus hub, and when routes fail, the effects compound here.

A single cancelled service does not just strand the passengers waiting for that bus — it overloads the next service, which then bypasses stops further along the route, creating a chain of failures that spreads across the network.

Commuter Hannah Challenor described watching the 172X countdown to zero at Warringah Mall before the bus simply never appeared. Left stranded, she called her boss to come and collect her. On another occasion she spent $18 on a five-minute Uber and still arrived late. Her employer eventually lent her a car just to ensure she could get to work reliably.

“I’m now considering getting a car, which will be all my savings used for a car, which is annoying because the only thing I need it for is work,” she said.

Driver shortages remain a key issue

Transport for NSW confirmed that acute driver shortages are pressuring the network. In response, the agency introduced higher-capacity articulated and double-decker buses to busy corridors like the B-Line.

Those measures address capacity on the B-Line corridor. The 174X from Allambie Heights is a separate express route, and residents say they have yet to see meaningful improvement on their commute.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union tram and bus division president Peter Grech said the outcome was predictable. “The driver shortage is at the heart of these problems,” he said. “When you can’t recruit and retain enough drivers, services get cancelled, buses become overcrowded, and commuters pay the price.”

A timetable change introduced on 21 June 2026 restructured services across the Northern Beaches network including the 174X, with Transport for NSW citing improved reliability as the goal. Whether that change has translated to improved punctuality on the Allambie Heights corridor remains to be seen.

Where to report service problems

Cancellations and failures can be reported directly to Keolis Northern Beaches via their website or through Transport for NSW.

Tracking the 174X in real time is most accurately done through the Transit app, which shows live vehicle locations and user-reported on-time performance. For service change information, Transport for NSW has published the June 2026 timetable updates.

Published 13-July-2026

Boy Hospitalised After Allambie Heights Chicken Shop Crash

Photo Credit: NSW Police/Facebook

A boy believed to be aged about seven was taken to hospital after a white BMW station wagon crashed into Wicked Chicken in Allambie Heights, with two other children treated for minor injuries.

BMW Hits Wicked Chicken In Allambie Heights

Emergency services were called to the Allambie Heights shop on Sunday afternoon, 28 June, after the vehicle crashed into the front of the chicken takeaway where children were seated.

NSW Police attended and found the white BMW station wagon had gone into the front of Wicked Chicken. The vehicle had mounted the kerb and struck a table and chairs before hitting the shopfront.

The crash happened at the Allambie Heights shops on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Allambie Heights crash — Photo Credit: NSW Police/Facebook

Boy Taken To Hospital

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the boy at the scene for leg and arm injuries before taking him to Sydney Children’s Hospital for further assessment.

Police said the boy was believed to be aged about seven and had suffered leg injuries. Two other children were treated for minor injuries.

No further details were provided about the other children’s ages or whether they required hospital treatment.

Nearby Worker Heard Impact

A worker at a service station opposite the chicken shop reported hearing a loud impact before seeing the BMW at the shopfront.

People at the scene appeared to move quickly to help after the crash.

Police and ambulance crews attended the shop after the vehicle hit the front of the business. The available information does not confirm what caused the crash.

Published 30-June-2026

Community Shaken After Pedestrian Struck in Brookvale

An elderly man has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by a bus in a high-traffic area of Brookvale.

The incident occurred on Monday, 22 June 2026, at approximately 11:15 a.m. at the busy intersection of Dale and Cross streets, situated near the Westfield Warringah Mall.

Emergency services were dispatched immediately following reports of the collision. Two ambulance crews, including a specialised team of intensive care paramedics, arrived at the scene to provide urgent medical assistance.

The man, aged in his 80s, received initial treatment for significant head and leg injuries before being transported to Royal North Shore Hospital for further care.

Officers from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command have commenced a formal investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the accident. Investigators are currently gathering evidence from the scene and speaking with witnesses to piece together the sequence of events. While the investigation remains in its early stages, local authorities are focusing on the safety of the intersection, which serves as a frequent thoroughfare for both vehicles and shoppers.

The incident has left a noticeable impact on those working nearby. Employees at a local retail outlet noted the rapid arrival of emergency vehicles, which filled the intersection shortly after the collision.

A staff member from the neighbouring Supercheap Auto store reported that the bus driver sought refuge in the shop to use the facilities, describing the driver as visibly distressed by the afternoon’s events. The incident has served as a sobering reminder for local residents to exercise extra caution when navigating the busy pedestrian crossings surrounding the shopping centre precinct.

Published Date 23-June-2026

Brookvale Oval Vision Could Reshape Manly’s Long-Time Home

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Brookvale Oval could be reshaped under Manly’s $160 million redevelopment vision, with the club proposing a larger boutique stadium and broader precinct uses aimed at keeping the Sea Eagles at their traditional Northern Beaches home.

Brookvale Oval Proposal Focuses On Long Term Renewal

Manly’s latest concept for Brookvale Oval, known commercially as 4 Pines Park, outlines a major redevelopment of the ageing venue into a modern stadium with capacity for about 22,000 to 23,000 spectators.

The ground currently holds about 17,000 people and has been the Sea Eagles’ home since 1947. While the venue remains closely tied to the club’s identity, its older infrastructure has become a central issue in long-running redevelopment discussions.

The current proposal is framed as a vision rather than a confirmed build. Further approvals, financial steps and wider engagement would still be needed before work could begin.

Manly Sea Eagles — Photo Credit: Google Maps

Older Stands Would Be Replaced Under The Manly Vision

The Bob Fulton Stand would be retained under the concept. The stand includes the club’s Centre of Excellence, which opened in 2022 after a $30 million upgrade.

Other older sections of the venue would be removed. The Jane Try, Ken Arthurson and Lyons-Menzies stands would be demolished and replaced with new undercover seating wrapping around the ground in a horseshoe-style layout.

The proposal also includes upgraded amenities, improved corporate areas and better facilities for women’s sport, junior sport and community use. The concept identifies growing maintenance demands, gaps in current facilities and the risk of the venue falling behind modern NRL requirements as issues the redevelopment would seek to address.

Housing and Classroom Ideas Broaden The Brookvale Plan

The proposal extends beyond match-day seating. Two residential towers are included on the eastern side of the precinct, with the possibility of affordable housing and homes for first responders forming part of the concept.

Education facilities are also being considered. Classroom space could be included beneath a new western stand, with St Augustine’s College and Brookvale Public School identified as nearby schools that could potentially use the space.

Manly plans to finance most of the estimated $160 million redevelopment while seeking an additional contribution of about $40 million to $50 million. The mixed-use model marks a shift from earlier redevelopment attempts that relied more heavily on outside funding.

Brookvale Oval — Photo Credit: Google Maps

Sea Eagles May Need Temporary Home During Works

If the project proceeds, construction could begin after the 2027 NRL season and may take one to two years to complete.

During that period, Manly would likely move home games away from Brookvale Oval. Allianz Stadium has been identified as the likely temporary venue for most matches, while some games could be taken to other markets, including New Zealand.

The push for renewal comes as the Sea Eagles continue to draw strong home crowds. The club has reported sellouts at 18 of its past 24 home matches, strengthening the case for more capacity and improved facilities.

Previous redevelopment ideas for Brookvale Oval have not progressed, including a $150 million proposal in 2011 that involved a 31,000-seat stadium, retail uses and residential development, followed by another major rebuild proposal four years later.

The latest vision is another attempt to modernise one of the NRL’s recognised suburban venues while preserving Manly’s connection to its long-time base on the Northern Beaches.

Published 10-June-2026

Official Opening Marks New Chapter for The Forest High School in Allambie Heights

After years of planning and construction, The Forest High School has officially opened its brand-new campus in Allambie Heights, marking a milestone moment for one of the Northern Beaches’ longest-serving public schools.

Read: The Forest High School Relocates to Allambie Heights: What Local Families Need to Know

After 64 years of educating Northern Beaches students, The Forest High School left Frenchs Forest, with more than 830 students relocating to the newly opened campus.

The school first welcomed students at the new site at the start of Term 1 in February this year. The May 15 ceremony was purely ceremonial, but it clearly meant a great deal to a community that has carried the school’s spirit through years of transition.

The relocation keeps the school within its existing catchment area, minimising disruption for current families while positioning The Forest High School to serve growing communities across the Northern Beaches for decades to come.

Photo credit: Facebook/The Forest High School

Situated on the corner of Allambie Road and Aquatic Drive, the new campus represents one of the Northern Beaches’ most significant education infrastructure projects, with the $160-million development designed to accommodate up to 1,500 students as the region grows.

Designed as a large courtyard campus, the school is connected by a continuous accessible circulation path called the Learning Loop, which links classrooms with the landscape around the internal edges of the campus buildings.

The 4.5-hectare site, previously home to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance’s McLeod House facility, offers modern learning environments surrounded by the natural beauty of Garigal National Park bushland.

Facilities include 73 modern classrooms, three Special Support Units, a new library, canteen and administration spaces, a multi-purpose sports and performance hall, outdoor sports courts, landscaped recreation and outdoor learning spaces, and over 180 parking spaces for bicycles and scooters.

Photo credit: Facebook/The Forest High School

“Our state-of-the-art facilities open up wonderful opportunities for our students, and I am especially excited to see our creative students showcase their talents in the performance theatre,” Principal Lawler said. “We have high expectations of our students, and we now have the facilities to match the effort they’re putting in.”

The school has consistently delivered strong academic results. Over the past two years, two thirds of HSC students achieved results in the top three bands, the school’s highest proportion in recent years.

NSW Premier Chris Minns cut the ribbon on the new school on Friday, 15 May, alongside Member for Wakehurst Michael Regan, Principal Nathan Lawler, and a group of students. The ceremony brought together past and present staff and student leaders to mark the occasion.

Some key members of the original planning committee who helped bring the vision to life back in 2018, were among those welcomed back for the special day. Year 12 Legal Studies students also had the chance to speak with the Premier during the visit.

Member for Wakehurst Michael Regan, whose support for the project stretches back to his days as Mayor of Northern Beaches, said the day had been a long time coming. “The new school campus is a huge step forward with modern classrooms, facilities and great spaces for sport, performance and student wellbeing,” he said.

Read: The Forest High School Joins E-Bike ID Tag Program to Improve Student Rider Safety

The Old Frenchs Forest Site

The previous school site will be demolished, to give way to a new Frenchs Forest town centre which will be constructed in its place. It will include civic administration buildings, a piazza and adjoining retail areas, plus 2,000 mixed residential dwellings with apartments up to 12 storeys high. The redevelopment is part of a broader rezoning strategy for the Northern Beaches Hospital precinct.

Published 18-May-2026

Allambie Heights Mum Remembered After Sudden Brain Aneurysm

Photo Credit: GoFundMe

Kali Blundell had recently become a mother and was spending maternity leave with her five-month-old daughter when a sudden brain aneurysm changed the course of her young family’s life in Allambie Heights.

A Young Family’s New Life In Allambie Heights

Ms Blundell, 32, had been caring for her daughter Ruby, her first child with husband Brandon, when she suffered a brain aneurysm in mid-April. She had been working out at a gym in Frenchs Forest when the medical emergency occurred.

She was taken to hospital and remained under medical care for more than a week before she died.

GoFundMe fundraiser — *Photo Credit: GoFundMe*

At the time, Ms Blundell was on maternity leave from her career as a management consultant. Her death came only five months after Ruby’s birth and after the young family had moved into their Allambie Heights home.

For Brandon and Ruby, the loss has left a future suddenly reshaped around the absence of a wife and mother.

northern beaches mother — *Photo Credit: GoFundMe*

A Relationship That Began In Their Teenage Years

Ms Blundell and Brandon had known each other since they were 15, after meeting in their home town of Canberra. Their relationship continued through their teenage years, marriage and the arrival of their daughter.

Friends have described the pair as deeply close, with Ms Blundell’s death leaving Brandon to care for Ruby while grieving the sudden loss of his wife.

The timing has added to the shock felt by those around the family. Ms Blundell had been in the early months of motherhood, a period expected to be filled with time at home with her baby daughter.

family fundraiser — *Photo Credit: GoFundMe*

Kali Blundell Remembered For Her Energy And Drive

Those who knew Ms Blundell have remembered her as ambitious, intelligent and full of life. She was known as someone who embraced new experiences, loved travelling and brought energy to the people around her.

Friends also remembered her as hardworking and determined, while still making room for music, dancing and a cheeky sense of humour. She was regarded as someone others could turn to for advice and support.

Her death has deeply affected her husband, daughter, parents, siblings and long-time friends, including a close group from her primary and high school years.

Kali Blundell — *Photo Credit: GoFundMe*

Organ Donation And Support For Brandon And Ruby

After her death, Ms Blundell’s organs were donated, helping five people.

A fundraiser has since been created by friends to support Brandon and Ruby. The money raised is intended to help with funeral and medical costs and to give Brandon support as he takes time to grieve and care for his daughter.

The campaign has also become a way for friends and loved ones to honour Ms Blundell’s life and support the family she leaves behind.

For those who knew her, Ms Blundell is being remembered not only for the sudden nature of her death, but for the warmth, drive and joy she brought to her family, friends and wider circle.

Published 6-May-2026

The Allambie Heights IGA Where Slowing Down Is the Whole Point

IGA Allambie Heights has launched what may be the northern beaches’ most counter-intuitive supermarket initiative: a dedicated lane where shoppers are actively encouraged to stop, take their time and have a proper conversation with staff, at a moment when the rest of the retail industry is pushing as hard as it can in the opposite direction.

The Community Check-In lane opened on Friday 17 April and runs weekdays from 10am to 2pm until 15 May. It is clearly marked and staffed by a team member whose role is specifically to prioritise connection over speed. Alongside the lane, the store has appointed what it is calling a Chief Chatty Officer, a title that sits somewhere between whimsical and quietly serious, because the problem it is responding to is anything but a joke.

Layne Berry holds the role and she says the idea grew directly from watching what local shoppers were already telling them with their feet.

“While so much of retail is moving towards speed and convenience, we noticed many of our local shoppers were actively choosing the staffed checkouts, not because they had to, but because they genuinely value those small, human interactions,” Berry said.

“We wanted to protect that and take it a step further. The Community Check-In creates a space where no one feels rushed, and where conversation is a meaningful part of the experience, not something you have to squeeze in.”

The Data Behind a Deceptively Simple Idea

What IGA Allambie Heights is responding to runs deeper than retail preference. Research cited by the company shows around 40 per cent of Australians experience loneliness at least some of the time. Loneliness places a $2.7 billion annual burden on the Australian healthcare system, with people over 55 accounting for more than a third of that cost.

Health experts now view loneliness as one of the country’s most pressing public health concerns. National reports on social health cite international research showing that prolonged loneliness raises the risk of premature death by 26 per cent. It is also linked to higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and depression.

Against that backdrop, a conversation at a supermarket checkout is not a small thing. For some people, particularly older residents living alone in suburbs like Allambie Heights, the Warringah Mall precinct, and the surrounding northern beaches communities, the interaction at a register may genuinely be one of the most sustained conversations of their day.

What One Shopper of Thirty Years Said

Val Jefferson has been shopping at IGA Allambie Heights for three decades. She said the Community Check-In lane reflects exactly what has always made the store matter to the neighbourhood it serves.

“For some in our community, particularly older locals, the supermarket isn’t just about groceries. It’s one of the only opportunities they have for a real conversation,” Jefferson said. “To know there’s a place where you can stop, talk and not feel hurried makes a huge difference.”

That kind of testimony is not easily manufactured by a large chain supermarket that has spent a decade rolling out self-serve lanes and contactless payment systems. It comes from a store that, by virtue of being independently owned, has the latitude to make a different kind of decision.

Berry made that connection directly. “At IGA, being independently owned allows us to truly show up for our local shoppers in ways that other supermarkets can’t,” she said. “Beyond the transaction we’re able to create moments of connection that can genuinely make someone’s day.”

Next Steps for the Trial

The trial runs until Friday 15 May 2026. IGA is watching closely, and if the Community Check-In lane proves successful at Allambie Heights, the intention is to expand the model across the broader IGA network. That means other independently owned IGA stores across Australia, including those on the northern beaches, could follow.

For now, the lane is open at 15 Grigor Place, Allambie Heights on weekdays from 10am to 2pm. For anyone who has been moving through supermarket self-serve queues feeling invisible, that might be worth a detour.

Published 30-April-2026