UDIA NSW welcomes the Greater Sydney Commission to guide a new Central Coast Strategy

Wednesday 21 October 2020 (Central Coast, NSW) – Today’s announcement from Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Adam Crouch MP, will see the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) collaborating with local stakeholders to develop a new Central Coast Strategy to deliver growth for the region.

This has followed significant financial mismanagement by Central Coast Council, which has led to the suspension of the Council and a $6.2 million bailout by the State Government.

“This move by the Premier and Mr Crouch brings real prospects for leadership at this moment of crisis and will build confidence to invest on the Central Coast,” said Steve Mann, CEO, the Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW (UDIA NSW).

“This move will elevate the position of the Central Coast, providing focus and direction for the economic development of this region. It will improve confidence for investment and bring more jobs to the region,” he said.

The Central Coast is located at the centre of the State’s fastest growing corridor between Sydney and Newcastle, but the local government has missed key opportunities to create more jobs. The Central Coast is a beautiful place to live and is seeing enormous demand for housing that is only expected to increase once NorthConnex opens.

UDIA members are reporting unprecedented demand for new housing in the region, but housing completions are below the Regional Plan. Strong demand for housing is demonstrated by the rental vacancy rate which was down to 0.7% on the Central Coast in September according to SQM Research.

At the end of last year, the Premier announced a focus on supercharging the Central Coast with a target of 25,000 jobs for the region and today’s announcement brings the experience of the GSC to deliver on that promise.

UDIA NSW’s agenda for the Central Coast is focused on the four pillars of delivering jobs, housing, infrastructure, and sustainability. UDIA’s first priority is the delivery of the consolidated LEP and DCP, which Council has postponed multiple times since 2018. The uncertainty around the essential planning controls is dampening investment and we also want to see action on:

  • Jobs:
    • UDIA calls on the NSW Government to declare a Special Activation Precinct on the Central Coast supported by the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund to provide much needed infrastructure to attract investment and create jobs.
    • Strong planning for the Coast’s Southern and Northern Growth Corridors to be leveraged as economic development opportunities. Key opportunities for employment exist around Tuggerah, Somersby, Warnervale (including the Wyong Employment Zone and Warnervale Airport general aviation hub) and a health and education precinct in Gosford.
  • Housing:
    • Delivering local infrastructure and services to support enough new homes for the 95,250 additional residents expected by 2041.
    • Creating more housing diversity for the region, so its growing population have housing choices that are affordable and suited to their lifestyles.
  • Infrastructure:
    • Unlocking new opportunities on the Central Coast through the upcoming McNaughton report on fast rail for the mega region of Sydney.
    • Maximising the imminent opening of NorthConnex to leverage greater connectivity to the Central Coast.
  • Sustainability:
    • Protecting and managing the Central Coast’s valued Green and Blue Grids and ensuring the region grows sustainably.

“The GSC will have the high-level vision to coordinate the economic development and growth of the Central Coast. We want to ensure the Central Coast can seize the opportunities presented by resolving these critical planning and infrastructure issues for the region,” said Mr Mann.

UDIA NSW has an active Chapter on the Central Coast and is working with local key government and industry stakeholders to provide the crucial link for the GSC to get it right for the Coast.

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UDIA NSW CEO Steve Mann and Central Coast Chapter Chair Caine King will be available for interview.

Media contact: Mia Kwok 0435 361 697 media@udiansw.com.au