Concerns about bushfire access and water infrastructure in Elanora Heights have resurfaced as questions continue over the capacity of surrounding areas to accommodate further housing development, including a proposed 536-dwelling precinct in neighbouring Ingleside.
The suburb’s experience during the 1994 bushfires was raised during a gathering outside NSW Parliament House on Wednesday, 21 October 2026. Around 100 people attended the event organised by Save Our Suburb (SOS) Mona Vale, where participants called for further infrastructure and emergency evacuation assessments before higher-density planning changes proceed.
Former Pittwater Council general manager and coastal engineer Angus Gordon referred to property losses in Elanora Heights during the 1994 fires, raising concerns about the adequacy of water infrastructure.
Elanora Heights Water Infrastructure And Bushfire Planning
Gordon said more than 30 homes were lost during the fires and attributed those losses to inadequate water supply. He also questioned whether existing infrastructure could accommodate further residential development.
The reported number of homes and the suggested role of water shortages have not been independently established through official fire investigation findings. Current water supply conditions also cannot be assessed solely from the historical account.
Sydney Water has documented renewal works involving the Elanora Heights Reservoir, which has an approximate storage capacity of 2.5 megalitres. An environmental assessment addendum issued in August 2025 covered proposed relining and roof renewal works at the reservoir, alongside vegetation management associated with bushfire protection. The assessment authorised the proposed works to proceed but did not establish whether construction had been completed or whether firefighting water availability had changed.
The NSW Rural Fire Service maintains community protection planning resources covering Elanora Heights, Ingleside and Bayview. Its Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019 remains the operative planning framework, while a proposed 2026 replacement has undergone public consultation.
Ingleside Housing Proposal Remains Under Assessment
The separate Wilga Wilson Precinct proposal in Ingleside seeks changes to planning controls that would accommodate 536 dwellings across land on Wilson Avenue, Wilga Street and Powderworks Road, together with conservation areas and public open space.
NBC resolved on 17 February 2026 not to support the proposal progressing to Gateway determination. Its assessment raised concerns about bushfire management, evacuation arrangements, infrastructure capacity and environmental impacts.
NBC received 606 submissions during consultation, including 567 opposing the proposal. Concerns about the proposed development’s compatibility with Ingleside and Elanora Heights were also identified.
The applicant’s planning documentation includes a strategic bushfire study and a flood and bushfire evacuation capability assessment, both dated July 2025. NBC questioned the adequacy of the proposed arrangements, while the applicant maintained that bushfire risks and evacuation requirements had been considered in the precinct design. Following a rezoning review, the Sydney North Planning Panel recommended on 22 June 2026 that the proposal progress towards Gateway determination.
The NSW Planning Portal continued to list the review as under assessment at the advice stage in records checked on 3 November 2026. No subsequent Gateway determination was identified in the accessible records, and the proposal had not been verified as having received development approval.
Published 23-October-2026
