The final step to achieving the long-held vision to add number 40 Stuart St to the Little Manly Beach Reserve is now open for submissions.

The former Manly Council purchased 40 Stuart Street Manly in 2012 to add the land to Little Manly Beach Reserve. The Little Manly Reserves Landscape Masterplan was adopted by Northern Beaches Council on 26 November 2019. The Masterplan proposes demolishing the dwelling at 40 Stuart Street, and incorporating the land into Little Manly Beach Reserve as open space. Council notified the community and issued a public notice about a proposal to reclassify the Council-owned land at 40 Stuart Street from operational land to community land under the Local Government Act 1993. 89% of the 65 submissions received were in favour of the reclassification of 40 Stuart Street from operational to community land. Community land is required to be categorised under the Local Government Act. It is proposed to categorise 40 Stuart Street in Manly as Park, consistent with the guidelines for categorisation as Park in Clause 104 of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005, and the core objectives for the Park category in Section 36G of the Local Government Act, in order to facilitate the use of the land for public recreation. Community land is also required to be subject to a Plan of Management prepared under the Local Government Act.

The Little Manly Coastline Management Plan 2004 will be amended to include 40 Stuart Street, allowing for its demolition and inclusion into the park. Council has placed the proposed amendments to the Little Manly Coastline Management Plan 2004 on public exhibition. A public hearing is required under Section 40A of the Local Government Act 1993 to receive community submissions about categorising community land. Submissions close 29 August 2021