CCBR Business Review

7 M A J O R S T O R I E S Minister for Planning and Housing Anthony Roberts MP addressing the October 2018 meeting of the Gosford Erina Chamber of Commerce WEDNESDAY 10TH OCTOBER 2018 will go down as a date in history for Gosford with the Minister for Planning and Housing Anthony Roberts addressing the Gosford / Erina Chamber of Commerce and announc- ing that a suite of new planning controls had been put in place to ensure the future of the City of Gosford. Over 220 business leaders turned up to hear what was in fact a historical occasion as never before had such a far reaching announcement been made in respect to the future of Gosford. Following more than a year of consul- tations the Minister said that the NSW Government had listened to the Central Coast community’s comments and ideas and incorporated them in a final series of measures that will pave the way for the Gosford of the future. “People had different views on how it should be achieved but the message was loud and clear on one thing: revitalisation of Gosford needs to happen and it needs to happen now,” Mr Roberts said. “Today we are putting in place the frame- work to drive further investment, attract new residents, business, tourists, cultural activity and jobs to Gosford,” he said. “We have addressed many of the issues raised by community stakeholders and we want these same stakeholders to be involved in the delivery of the revitalisation plans.” “This suite of new planning controls will enable the city to fulfil its destiny as the vibrant and thriving capital of the Central Coast.” The place–based approach recommends focus on the delivery of attractive public places and the activation of these spaces as well as connectivity between the three core areas of Gosford City Centre. City North focuses on connecting the greatly expanded Gosford Hospital to the city across the rail corridor, to spread the benefits of the $400m investment into the development of the health and educa- tion precinct. City South makes stronger links between the city and the waterfront park- lands to draw together locals, land, culture, history and recreation in a beautiful park- land destination and Civic Heart – Kibble Park and surrounds, links the City North to the City South. Gosford City Centre SEPP, DCP and Special Infrastructure Contribution The Gosford City Centre State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP), Development Control Plan (DCP) and Special Infrastructure Contribution (SIC) will ensure a design–led, streamlined, flex- ible and efficient development for Gosford City Centre. The Special Infrastructure Contribution will collect contributions for infrastructure that supports growth as the revitalisation program continues to roll out, reducing the overall contributions from 4 per cent to 3 per cent of the cost of development, with 1 per cent to go to a new local contribu- tions plan. “The SIC incentivises development in Gosford and reflects the Government’s $52 million commitment to upgrade vital water and sewer infrastructure and public domain in the city centre,” Mr Roberts said. The SEPP will remain a stand-alone state policy until Central Coast Council completes its comprehensive Local Environmental Plan (LEP). “The development controls are stream- lined, flexible and efficient to optimise the right kind of development and investment in the core of the city centre.” The DCP covers the entire city centre, with the new controls focusing on its core to align with the Government Architect’s place-based recommendations that the community fed back on earlier in the year. This Gosford City area comprises: • City North - the expanded Gosford Hospital site west of the railway line and links to the city across the train station to Mann Street, • The Civic Heart - Kibble Park and surrounds, • City South - The waterfront parklands, including Gosford City Park, Leagues Club Field and Central Coast Stadium. The draft DCP also includes controls for residential and business areas to the north, west and south of the City Centre and includes measures to cater for specific types of development in these areas. The controls for these areas and matters such as advertising notification and herit- age, largely replicate what is in the existing development control plan. The transition from planning to imple- mentation “As Gosford City Centre’s revitalisation transitions from planning to implementa- tion, Mr Cassel today takes the baton from Coordinator General for the Central Coast Lee Shearer who has done a brilliant job bringing all stakeholders around the table to pave the way for the future Gosford,” Mr Roberts said. “When it comes to urban renewal and seizing opportunities to drive economic growth in cities, there is no one better than Mr Cassel.” Ms Shearer will now focus on the con- tinued delivery of the many other priority projects of the Central Coast Regional Plan 2036 (Regional Plan) – the Government’s blueprint to deliver environmentally sus- tainable jobs, housing and connected communities on the Central Coast. Revitalisation of Gosford City Centre as the regional capital of a healthy, prosper- ous and connected Central Coast, is a key Ministerial priority of the Regional Plan. Coordinator General for the Central Coast Lee Shearer called the DCP “a blue- print to ensure design excellence is at the heart of Gosford City Centre’s revitalisa- tion”. “The DCP prescribes how the balance will be struck between quality develop- ment and environmental outcomes of a city finally fulfilling its destiny as a regional capital and a great place to live, work, visit and do business. Landmark planning controls to progress Gosford’s future CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW YEARBOOK 2018