It is perhaps not widely known that the original name for Manly Hospital - the one on Eastern Hill, not the earlier Cottage Hospital in Raglan Street - was the Manly Peace Memorial Hospital.

​At a public meeting in the Manly Town Hall in July 1919 it was resolved that a ‘Peace Memorial Hospital’ be built on the former quarantine land as ‘a permanent tribute to the men who went forward and fought in the Great War’.

​A committee was formed and fundraising commenced.

Old Manly Hospital site concept plans are now on public display. What's new is that the State Government, which owns the North Head site, wants to broaden options for businesses that can be considered for the new "health and wellbeing" precinct.

​The 6ha site, which will be anchored by the new Adolescent and Young Adult Hospice, could now include enterprises such as seniors housing, an educational establishment or function centre, plus a shop and cafe, although these new uses would depend on appropriate rezoning of the land by Northern Beaches Council.

There will also be parking, public access and open space and harbour views. 

​The current zoning of the site limits its use to a ‘health services facility’ which only permits; a hospital, medical centre, community health service facilities or consulting rooms.

​The concept plan calls for this to be broadened to include uses such as;
Restaurant or café
Neighbourhood shop
Seniors housing
Educational establishment
Community facility
Group homes
Function centre
Centre-based child care facility
Recreation facility (indoor)
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The draft concept plan, shown in diagram form below, has been put together by site managers - The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (Planning NSW) - and lead consultants COX Architecture.  

The next step is to collect community and stakeholder feedback, and rezoning approval from the Council. Then Planning NSW will prepare a formal site master plan with a site-specific Development Control Plan. The DCP includes built form controls to manage height, bulk and scale, as well as environmental and heritage requirements for the site.

​On its website Planning NSW says; "The concept master plan focuses on developing an adaptive reuse strategy for the existing heritage buildings to deliver a mix of open and community space, health and wellbeing related uses, neighbourhood scale shops and a food and drink offering."

​They say the plan has been "informed by the guiding principles, outcomes of the community consultation (September 2019), environmental and specialist investigations and market sounding exercises". ​

The 'main block' and original 'Manly Peace Memorial Hospital' entrance will both be 'adaptively reused'

​Manly Hospital was closed in October 2018 after the new Northern Beaches Hospital was opened at Frenchs Forest.  Following community pressure to save the iconic site, the State Government promised not to sell it to developers but to keep it in public hands. 

The vision statement was for “a vibrant health and wellbeing sanctuary which welcomes and supports the needs of the local and wider community – achieved through innovation and balance”. 
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A masterplan was created to develop a health and wellbeing precinct, while maintaining community access and preserving existing heritage buildings. Incoming businesses and services would need to provide health benefits to the Northern Beaches community, as well as being self funding. 

The location is not only spectacular, but complicated with many stakeholders, including Property NSW, NSW Health, National Parks & Wildlife Service, Northern Beaches Council and the local community.

​Last year prominent design firm COX Architecture was appointed lead consultant for the redevelopment process.

​More details and the chance to have your say here.