CCBR Business Review

11 M A J O R S T O R I E S Unprecedented Government infrastructure funding THE LAST FIVE years has been a remark- able time for the Central Coast with both State and Federal Governments recognising that the region had been starved of signifi- cant funding for over thirty years. In the space of the last five years well over a billion dollars has been funneled into pro- jects aimed at encouraging the private sec- tor to come in and back up this investment. Roads Across the Central Coast over $650 million has been put into upgrading the major roads including: Central Coast Highway at West Gosford and Erina Heights to Wamberal, major intersections on Wyong Road at Tuggerah, Berkeley Vale and Tumbi Umbi and the widening of the Pacific Highway at Ourimbah. As well, the widening of the M1 Pacific Motorway between Somersby and Warnervale at a cost of almost $400 million and the opening of NorthConnex, a 9-kilo- metre tunnel link to the M2 Hills Motorway at Wahroonga will have significant econom- ic flow on effects for the region. Hospitals In June 2018 the Premier of NSW Gladys Berejiklian opened the new $348 million 11-storey world-class Gosford Hospital. A new 800-space car park is cur- rently under construction and will open in early 2019. When completed a Central Coast Medical School and Medical Research institute will be built on top of the car park. (See later). In January 2017 the State Government announced the $200 million redevelop- ment of Wyong Hospital and started work on a 500-space car park in January 2018 and the first stage of the redevelop- ment. Central Coast Medical School and Medical Research Institute The University of Newcastle in Partnership with Central Coast Local Health District is establishing the Central Coast Medical School and Research Institute at a cost of $72.5 million to be located adjacent to Gosford Hospital on top of the hospital’s car park currently under construction. Funding for the project will come from the Federal Government $32.5 million, State Government $20 million and $20 mil- lion from the University of Newcastle. Construction will start in 2019 and be completed in 2020. Intercity Fleet train maintenance facility May 2018 saw construction commence on the new Intercity Fleet train maintenance facility at Kangy Angy. The $300 million project being built by the John Holland Group for Transport NSW will service a fleet of more than 500 train carriages once in full service. The project is employing around 300 people and when completed and in opera- tion will employ some 200 staff including tradespeople and apprentices. The facility is set to open in 2020. Gosford Hospital precinct CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW YEARBOOK 2018