The changing face of Forestville…
Forestville, known for its family-friendly facilities, great public schools and bushland is undergoing a quiet transformation.
The Centre at Forestville shopping precinct has long been a convenient stop for residents to pick up groceries, grab a coffee, exercise and meet up with friends, but the many vacant shops haven’t created the best village atmosphere in recent years.
Now, come weekends, it’s buzzing again thanks to four new businesses opening up. Local teens and school kids have been very happy with the addition of Sols Acai – and sending their parents broke over these incredibly delicious Acai bowls in the process.
A few doors up is a new Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) and Mixed Martial Arts studio. Taking over the previous F45 spot, this is the first Northern Beaches dojo for Clube De Latus, who have studios in Seven Hills and Rouse Hill. Across from the Clube De Latus is new Japanese restaurant and takeaway joint, Sushi Katsumi. Serving up delicious noodles, bento boxes, excellent sushi, plus more substantial takeaway dinner options it’s another welcome food venue that stays open until 9pm.
While the local kids have been very happy about these new additions, parents are equally excited about the highly-anticipated Charlotte Cafe. Residents have been eagerly watching the boarded up frontage patiently waiting for it to open, which has taken almost a year longer than expected.
Charlotte Cafe has been so popular that you have to get in early for weekend breakfast or now risk missing out on a table. On the menu at this very Instagrammable eatery are all your breakfast and brunch and lunch faves with a delicious Mediterranean twist.
Matcha fans will be thrilled to know they have Iced Oat Matcha on tap, and coffee lovers haven’t been forgotten either, with Campos beans and Iced Long Blacks on tap. Daphnee Ghebar, Charlotte’s co-owner, tells us they have plans to open in the evenings come May/June to add another after-dark option for Forestville.
In what would be the suburb’s most significant development yet, the local RSL Club has submitted plans for a $77-Million redevelopment project that would transform both the club facilities and introduce a retirement living community to the area.
The ambitious proposal, submitted to Northern Beaches Council in October 2024, includes a complete rebuild of the club alongside approximately 55 retirement living apartments. The project represents not just an architectural transformation, but a strategic pivot as the club looks to secure its financial future.
“Income diversification is crucial for our ongoing viability,” explains the club’s redevelopment team. “Like many clubs across Australia, we need to reduce our reliance on gaming revenue, which currently forms a significant portion of our income.”
Proposed render of Forestville RSL Club redevelopment. Image credit: Quattro Architecture
The project would be completed in two stages, allowing the existing club to continue operating throughout construction. The first stage includes building the new single-level club facilities, 16 retirement living units and 132 underground parking spaces. Once the new club is operational, the second stage would see the construction of three three-level buildings containing 39 more retirement apartments and additional parking, followed by the demolition of the existing club building.
For long-time members concerned about preserving the club’s character, the development team has emphasised that the redesign will maintain familiar amenities while enhancing the experience. The new facilities will feature multiple dining options, purpose-built children’s play areas, various lounge and bar spaces, and configurable function rooms.
“While it’s impossible to make definitive statements about how the proposal has been received by the members,” says CEO Ian Thompson. “What we can say is that our Town Planner, who has extensive, development experience as a Northern Beaches Council employee and as a private operator, commented that for a project of this size and scale the number of ‘objections’ to Council was “less than expected”. Anecdotally, the direct feedback my staff and I receive as we move around the club and via attendees at the above-mentioned member interactions, is overwhelmingly positive.”
Image credit: Quattro Architecture
The retirement living component represents a growing trend among RSL clubs seeking sustainable business models (Pittwater RSL recently proposed a pickleball court on their roof). The development will follow the standard retirement village financial model, with residents paying an entry price, monthly fees, and a deferred management fee upon exit. This structure is designed to provide the club with ongoing revenue that could eventually substitute for declining gaming income.
For the RSL sub-Branch, which has a long history at the site, the redevelopment will include dedicated office space in the new building. However, the Cenotaph will be relocated to the adjacent Forestville War Memorial Playing Fields—a move the club notes is aligned with an RSL NSW directive that such memorials be relocated off private land.
The club leadership anticipates a decision on the development application by the third quarter of 2025, with members getting an opportunity to vote on the redevelopment at a General Meeting expected in the first half of 2025.
If approved, the project would join several other significant developments reshaping the Beaches, reflecting broader trends of clubs diversifying their business models and addressing the growing need for quality senior living options in our established communities.
For more on Forestville RSL, visit their dedicated website Heart of Forestville. For all the other businesses mentioned, head to The Centre, Starkey St, Forestville.
