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Page 2 - August 12, 2015 - Coast Community News
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Gosford LGA emergency services directory
o a s t Community News and Laycock Street Theatre wish to offer two family passes to see Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts on September 15 at 6:00pm.
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Ambulance, Police, Fire 000 Family Drug Support 1300 368 186 G-line - Gambling Helpline 1800 633 635 Credit Helpline 1800 808 488 Child Support Agency 13 12 72 Australian Injury Helpline 1800 223 363 Veteran Affairs Net work 1300 551 918 Mens Domestic Violence 1800 000 599 Sexual Assault Resource 1800 199 888 Gay and Lesbian Counselling 1800 184 527 Gay and Lesbian Support 1800 249 377 Youth Sexuality Network 4320 2856 Vietnam Veterans 1800 043 503 Victims Support Services 1800 633 063 Translation and Interpreting Service 13 14 50
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Organisations Aboriginal Legal Service 8842 8000 Community Options 4351 3388 Bungree Aboriginal Association 4397 7700 Mingaletta 4342 7515 Aboriginal Home Care 4321 7215 Drug & Alcohol rehab 4388 6360 Respite Care Options 4351 3388 Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health 4351 1040 Darkinjung Local Land Council 4351 2930
Accommodation Dept. of Housing Gosford 4323 5211 Regional Youth Support Services 4323 2374 Coast Shelter 4324 7239 Pacific Link Com Housing 4324 7617 Rumbalara Youth Refuge 4325 7555 Samaritans Youth Services 4351 1922 Youth Angle • Woy Woy 4341 8830 Youth Accom Hotline 1800 424 830 Temporary Accommodation 1800 152 152
Each family pass is for two adults and two children under 12 years of age. If you think you know the stories of the Three Little
Family and Relationships
Pigs, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Foldilocks and Jack and the Beanstalk, think again. Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts bursts off the page in a spectacular new live show, taking the world’s best loved fairy tales and rearranging them with some unexpected and hilarious twists. It is a visual feast that combines a rocking sound track, immersive lighting design, dance, song and shadow puppetry as well
as four of the country’s best comic actors who bring over 40 characters to life. To enter write your name, address and phone number on the back of an envelope and mail it to Coast Community News Roald Dahl Competition, PO Box 1056 Gosford, NSW 2250. Entries close 5pm Monday, 24 August. The winners of the Coast Community News Bulldogs Versus Titans Competition were MurielCadman from Bensville and Yazmine Thorley from North Gosford.
Prize winners may be required to pick up their prize from our Gosford office. Entries may be passed on to prize providers for marketing purposes.
Parents Helpline 132 055 Gosford Family Support Service 4340 1099 Horizons (For men with children) 4351 5008 Interrelate - Family Relationships 1300 736 966 Uniting Care Burnside Gosford 1800 067 967
Animal Rescue
Health
Wildlife Arc 4325 0666 Wires 1300 094 737
Gosford Hospital 4320 2111 Cancer Hotline 131 120 Mental Health info Service 1300 794 991 Sexual Health @ Gosford Hospital 4320 2114 Beyond Blue (Depression) 1300 22 4636
Counselling Mensline - talk with a bloke 1300 789 978 Lifecare Family Services 1300 130 225 CatholicCare: 4356 2600 Relationship Australia: 1300 364 277 Interrelate: 1800 449 118
Problems, Habits & Addiction G-Line Telephone Counsel 1800 633 635 Gamblers Anonymous 9726 6625 Alcoholics Anonymous 4323 3890 Narcotics Anonymous 4325 0524 Quitline 131 848
Emergency Police Assistance Line 131 444 Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 Woy Woy Police Station 4323 5599 Energy Australia 13 13 88 Gas Emergency 131 909 Gosford City Council 4325 8222 Marine Rescue - Central Coast 4325 7929 SES - Storm and Flood Emergency 132 500
Central Coast Newspapers is a local, family owned business that publishes and distributes three Central Coast Newspapers every fortnight. All staff are also locals and between them, the three papers cover the entire Central Coast. Each paper focuses specifically on an area bound by postcodes as follows:
Peninsula News Post Codes 2256 and 2257; Coast Community News Post Codes 2250, 2251, 2260; and Wyong Regional Chronicle Post Codes 2258, 2259, 2261, 2262 and 2263. All articles are sourced and dated so that readers will know when and where the information came from and where they can perhaps get more information. All articles are edited and given a heading and are often quite
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Welfare Services Donnison St. Restaurant 4325 3510 Central Coast Family Support Services 4340 1585 Horizons Family Services 4351 5008 Meals on Wheels Gosford 4363 7111 Woy Woy 4341 6699 Department of Community Services Gosford - 4336 2400 The Salvation Army 4325 5733 Samaritans Emergency Relief 4393 2450 St Vincent De Paul Society HELPLINE 4323 6081
Crisis Services and Helplines Lifeline - 24 hr. 13 11 14 Suicide Helpline 1800 191 919 Kids Helpline 1800 551 800 Parents Helpline 13 20 55 Indigenous Call Centre 136 380 Family Relationship Advice Line 1800 050 321
different from what was originally received. Contributions are welcome and are preferred in email form, ideally with any relevant photographs attached. Contributions must include the contributor’s name, address and phone numbers. This is not for publication but name and suburb will be published and anonymous contributions will not be included.
Assistant Journalists: Victoria Power Emma Horn Kiah Frankel Brittany Burdon
Ph: 4325 7369 Email: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Next Edition: Coast Community News 115 Deadline: August 24 Publication date: August 26 2250 - Bucketty, Calga, Central Mangrove, East Gosford, Erina, Erina Fair, Glenworth Valley, Gosford, Greengrove, Holgate, Kariong, Kulnura, Lisarow, Lower Mangrove, Mangrove Creek, Mangrove Mountain, Matcham, Mooney Mooney Creek, Mount White, Narara, Niagara Park, North Gosford, Peats Ridge, Point Clare, Point Frederick, Somersby, Springfield, Tascott, Ten Mile Hollow, Upper Mangrove, Wendoree Park, West Gosford, Wyoming 2251 - Avoca Beach, Bensville, Bouddi, Copacabana, Davistown, Green Point, Kincumber, MacMasters Beach, Picketts Valley, Saratoga, Yattalunga 2260 - Foresters Beach, Nortfh Avoca, Terrigal, Wamberal
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July 10, 2015
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Issue 73
Ourimbah boarding house proposal to proceed to JRPP without proper debate
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proposed 100-room boarding house at Ourimbah could not be discussed by Wyong Council at its general meeting on Wednesday, July 8 because seven out of eight councillors present declared interests in the matter.
The approval or refusal of the proposed boarding house at 2-4 Glen Rd Ourimbah will now be determined by the Joint Regional Planning Panel at its meeting next week. Cr Eaton, Taylor, Best, Webster, Vincent, Troy and Matthews all declared interests in the matter, which left independent Cr Bob Graham, the only councillor present, able to discuss it. Cr Greenwald and Nayna were absent but had previously declared interests in the matter. The absence of a quorum to discuss the matter meant the decision to make submissions to next week’s Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) meeting was deferred to Council’s acting general manager, Mr Scott Cox. Chairperson of the Stop Glen Road Action Group, Mr Greg McGill was also unable to speak at the meeting because the matter could not be debated. According to a report from Wyong Council’s development and building department manager, acting director, Ms Tanya O’Brien, the
An artist's impression of the proposed Glen Rd boarding house as it will be presented to the JRPP
application was reviewed by the Hunter Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) last year which deferred its determination pending the provision of additional information and design change. The original DA was for the demolition of two existing dwellings and the erection of a fourstory boarding house containing 94 rooms, a manager’s residence, parking and open space. The revised application is for a three-storey boarding house with 100 rooms, a manager’s residence, parking and open space. “Following a thorough planning assessment, the application is recommended for approval,” the report said. In the latest version of the proposal, the building width has increased at the street frontage, and internal changes include communal recreation rooms on each level, light
wells and storage. The proposed building will house 87 single units, 10 doubles, three accessible units and the manager’s unit. Each unit would contain an en-suite, kitchenette, robe and desk. The landscaping plan has been revised with extensive landscaping proposed within the front setback and in communal areas, according to the latest report to Council. Unless Mr Cox decides to make alternative submissions to the JRPP, it is expected that the report submitted to the Wednesday, July 8 meeting will be forwarded to the Hunter Central Coast JRPP for determination on Friday, July 16. In other words, the outcome from Wyong Council to the JRPP will be a report supporting the approval of the proposed development.
Mr Greg McGill from the Stop Glen Road Action Group said residents present in the public gallery for the Council meeting were “very, very disappointed” that the issue was not debated. Mr McGill said he was surprised that several councillors declared conflicts of interest based on connections with former federal member for Dobell, Mr Craig Thompson. Mr McGill said he believed Mr Thompson, along with former Wyong councillor and mayor Mr Neil Rose, had been employed by the developers K and P Gregory, to chair focus groups and lobby current ALP councillors to support the proposed development. “We believe the councillors used their declared conflicts at the meeting to get out of declaring whether
or not they supported the development,” Mr McGill said. He said the outcomes of the focus groups chaired by Mr Thompson had been used as part of the developer’s social impact statement in its development proposal to incorrectly demonstrate community support for the development. The Stop Glen Road Action Group is also seeking advice as to whether Mr Cox is an appropriate person to make submissions to the JRPP given that he was the author of the first report to Council recommending the original development application. According to Mr McGill, the group will be “up the creek without a paddle” if the JRPP approves the current version of the development application. “Our only avenue would be the Land and Environment Court and
we have been told that we would need a minimum of $50,000 to take it there and we have nothing of that kind at the moment,” he said. Member for Dobell, Ms Karen McNamara attended the Council meeting as a show of support for the Ourimbah residents. Member for The Entrance, Mr David Mehan has also expressed support for the Ourimbah residents and is expected to speak at the JRPP in opposition to the boarding house development. Mr McGill said the Stop Glen Road Action Group did not believe that the developer had met the six conditions set out by the JRPP in relation to its concerns about the bulk and scale of the development. “One floor has come off the top but there is an additional wing to be built and they have reduced the size of the rooms to just above the state minimum requirements,” Mr McGill said. In the speech he did not get to present to the meeting, Mr McGill said the group would be detailing the issues that it believed the developer had failed to address to the JRPP meeting.
Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
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Meeting transcript, 8 July 2015 Business paper, 8 July 2015 Wyong Council ordinary meeting Interview, 9 July 2015 Mr Greg McGill, Save Glen Road Action Group Jackie Pearson, journalist
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Issue 112
Kibbleplex level 2 is likely to become a car park
Edition 372
Council received a report from a strategy/policy workshop held in March that recommended a strategic change for Kibbleplex targeting the upper vacant level as car parking. It also recommended that initiatives to lease the ground floor for learning and education, retail, commercial or community activities and a possible smart work hub expansion should continue. However, the report concluded that prospects for the future of Kibbleplex are limited and Council’s return on investment miniscule. “Recent reports and reviews suggest Kibbleplex is not an ideal library location and other sites are under review,” the report said. “In this respect, most learning and education uses would be better dealt
with in conjunction with the library.” Kibbleplex was acquired for $11 million in 2011, subsidised by a $7 million grant on the basis the two upper levels provided 400 commuter parks for five years, the report said. This commitment expires on February 28, 2016, effectively transferring full control of the building to Council. “The lower levels have a combined area of 18,000 sqm but remain vacant given their size, location and limited adaptability for most uses,” the report said. “Numerous initiatives by Council and private investors to deliver solutions on these floors have failed. “The combined existing and foreseeable demand from all potential uses is less than 25% of the total area available.
“Available grants are too small to deliver outcomes over the large area. “Significant Council investment is not recommended, due to limited prospect of a commercial return and also the insufficient economic benefits available. “Entities such as the Smart Work Hub can expand if successful, and solid interest exists from one educational entity at present. The suggestion to investigate conversion of the upper vacant level for car parking was seen as “a strategic and low risk investment for Council, likely to provide good future returns as CBD revitalisation occurs. “A position on this initiative and the February 28, 2016 expiry date will also enable a City Centre Park Strategy to be
mothballed. “Each provides 9,000 sqm floor plates with limited demand or utility in their current form. Since 2011, numerous initiatives have been touted including a learning and education centre, lecture theatres and meeting rooms, co-locating the library, smart work hub, and large office spaces. All options resulted in very little return on investment for Gosford Council, according to the report. “In 2011, a private developer took an option to lease the building and create a Paddy’s Market” type concept to the ground floor and commercial offices above. “The project failed due to minimal interest. “Other leasing campaigns also failed, generally because; the floor plates do not provide
appealing office premises, natural light is very low and better alternatives exist elsewhere. “Annual office demand in Gosford is limited and even if marketable; the large floors would take many years to fill. “Forecast rent levels do not suggest a satisfactory return given the costs to deliver.” The report also said ongoing initiatives to establish a learning and education centre also remain uneconomic. “The total demand from all prospective learning and education uses is only around 4,000 sqm, less than 25% of the space available,” it said. The report suggested that learning and education users would want Council to fund their fit out and other set up costs, also considered unviable. “Learning and education premises are small, with the largest to date being a 1,500 sq metre interest from the Central Coast Community
College (“CCCC”). “This is progressing and does not rely on a library presence. “Available tools to measure the economic impact of these entities suggest limited economic benefits. “Nearby universities remain reluctant to commit to Gosford in any substantial manner, which could justify Council investment.” A commercial agent has again been appointed to pursue large retail or commercial tenants for the ground floor but interest to date is low and significant results are not anticipated. “Both floors are unlikely to lease in the foresee-able future. “The $7,000,000 potential funding available, equates to only $390 per square metre, so meaningful fit-out initiatives would need Council capital.
Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
Ordinary meeting agenda, 14 July 2015 Gosford Council Jackie Pearson, journalist
Community Access
Discarded syringes collected three times a week Discarded syringes are collected twice a week from around Woy Woy Hospital’s needle exchange and the nearby McEvoy oval by Central Coast Health staff and once a week by a volunteer group according to Central Coast Health , an investigation by Peninsula News has revealed.
Council votes unanimously to retain motor registry
The best option presented to Council for the Kibbleplex building was to turn another level of empty retail space over to parking
he currently vacant upper floor of the Kibbleplex building in finalised,” the report said. “The two lower levels Henry Parry Drive is likely to become a 300-space car park based on a report to the Tuesday, July 14 ordinary meeting of Gosford were always a major challenge and were initially Council.
Gosford Council has voted unanimously to support the retention of the Woy Woy Motor Registry. The council will write to the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight to support the local community in having the decision to close the Woy Woy registry reversed. The motion was put by Labor councilor, deputy mayor Jim McFadyen, to the July 14 council meeting. In a show of bipartisan support, Liberal councillor Bob Ward seconded the motion. Cr McFadyen said the 35,000 people living on the Peninsula had been treated with contempt by the NSW Government. He said 1100 people used the Woy Woy shopfront monthly and it conducted more than 160 driving tests a month. He said the closure of the Woy Woy registry may result in Peninsula people who voted Liberal at the last NSW election not doing so again. Cr Ward said: “I appreciate the closure was made to reduce duplication of services.” “There are currently 36 one-
stop shops throughout the state with a further 34 scheduled to be rolled out. “Despite the attributable benefits, it would appear little or no community consultation went on before the decision was announced,” he said. Cr Ward said he believed Peninsula residents would be unfairly disadvantaged by the closure, particularly the elderly. “The drive from the Peninsula to the Gosford service can be arduous especially with the delays at the West Gosford intersection,” he said. “A lot more thought should have gone into the decision.” Cr Bowles suggested that, if the Peninsula currently had a sitting Liberal member of state parliament, the community may have had more of a chance of keeping the Woy Woy Motor Registry open. Cr Bowles said she did support the motion because the Peninsula needed the service. “This was obviously an on paper decision,” Cr Bowles said. “When I first heard it, I thought it was a hard-to-believe joke,” she said. According to Cr Bowles, the
closure of the Woy Woy motor registry had the potential to kill the Woy Woy town centre, which already has a number of empty shops. She called for the motion to be amended to ask for a reversal of the decision to close the current outlet and for a Services NSW one-stop-shop to be opened on the Peninsula. Cr Craig Doyle also spoke in favour of the motion. “At the end of the day, this boils down to a massive reduction in services. “They are saying the Peninsula is not worthy of this service,” Cr Doyle said. He said it was heartening to see Cr McFadyen and Cr Ward working in unison to support the people of the Peninsula and called on the local State members of parliament to put aside their political differences and join forces to work on the issue for their constituents. Gosford Council agenda, NM.8, 14 July 2015 Transcript, 14 July 2015 Reporter: Jackie Pearson
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Issue 113
20 July 2015
Edition 373
July 24, 2015
The Woy Woy Motor Registry will soon be vacant if the efforts of the community and its representatives to keep it open do not work
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Member for Gosford Ms Kathy Smith raised the alarm about discarded syringes at both sites after a local resident had told her a large quantity of used hypodermic syringes had been discarded around the needle exchange at Woy Woy Hospital. “The person was rightly concerned about the possibility of contamination from needle pricks that this situation risked,” Ms Smith said. Ms Smith said she would prefer the area to be cleared on a more regular basis. The Woy Woy Needle and Syringe Program was located on the corner of Ocean Beach Rd and Kathleen St at Woy Woy Hospital, according to a statement from Central Coast Health. The program had three disposal bins at the hospital which can be utilised 24 hours a day and an additional disposal bin inside the program’s office. “The Local Health District works in conjunction with local councils and police to educate and encourage the community to dispose of used needle syringes in a safe and appropriate manner,” the statement said. “Following the recent discovery
of used injecting equipment at a sports field in Woy Woy, the Health District’s harm minimisation team included this site as one of its hotspots, which are regularly monitored by staff. “Harm minimisation team staff have continued to visit the area since the event and there has been no further evidence of injecting equipment and no further reports of injecting equipment at the site. “The harm minimisation team also regularly monitors the Woy Woy Hospital campus and immediate surrounding grounds, which includes the streets on the boundaries of the hospital. “There has been no evidence of injecting equipment or reports to the harm minimisation team of injecting equipment in the surrounding grounds. “Members of the public should contact the Needle Clean up Hotline if they find used injecting equipment on 1800 633 353.” The statement said: “The NSW Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) is an evidence-based public health program that aims to reduce the transmission of infections such as HIV and hepatitis C among people who inject drugs. “An important component of the NSP is the promotion and provision for the safe disposal of used injecting equipment.” Media release, 3 July 2015 Jacob Webb, Office of Kathy Smith Media statement, 7 July 2015 Jill Warwicker, Central Coast Local Health District Jackie Pearson, journalist
THIS ISSUE contains 55 articles - Read more news items for this issue at www.peninsulanews.info Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
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Promotion of tourism in Wyong shire to take a new direction he promotion of tourism in the Wyong local government area is to take a new direction following decisions made at the ordinary meeting of Wyong Council on Wednesday, July 22.
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Cr Lloyd Taylor moved a series of motions at the meeting aimed at investigating the management of tourism and event promotion through a new shire-wide body. Management of tourism and events is currently in the hands of third parties with which Wyong Council has contractual and funding arrangements. Those organisations include Central Coast Tourism, The Wyong Regional Chamber of Commerce, The Entrance Town Centre Management and Greater Toukley Vision. “To have a shire-wide events and promotions body that will focus on Wyong is logical to the growth of the area,” Cr Taylor said. “Whilst Central Coast Tourism, based in Kariong, actively promotes the activities from Pearl Beach to Lake Munmorah, many Wyong tourism operators don’t provide their events schedules because they are too far away from here,” he said. The Council meeting was addressed by Mr John Millard, representing the community.
Events such as this at The Entrance may come under the control of a new umbrella body within the next couple of years
Mr Millard is a former Wyong councillor and chairman of The Entrance Chamber of Commerce. Mr Millard said he was a founding member of The Entrance Town Centre Management in 1995 and had spent several periods on its board as a representative of Wyong Council and the Chamber of Commerce. “It is time for a change because our town is suffering and we are not getting the support we need from town centre management,” Mr Millard said. Cr Adam Troy asked Mr Millard whether there was currently discord within the board of The Entrance Town Centre Management and Mr Millard said there was. Mr Millard said he did not believe The Entrance Town Centre
Management was currently fulfilling its role of representing the permanent shop keepers of the area. “Some events are good but some events are not very good for our town,” Mr Millard said. “I am there for the permanent shop keepers and Town Centre Management continues to bring food providers and drink providers into the park so the takings of the permanent businesses are down significantly,” Mr Millard said. Mr Millard said shop owners had written to Town Centre Management and to Wyong Council expressing their concerns and their letters had been ignored. Councillors debated Cr Taylor’s motion, including questioning Mr
Millard, for over an hour and several amendments were made. Cr Doug Vincent asked for clarification about the amount of money provided by Council to the various promotion and tourism bodies it had relationships with. Wyong mayor, Cr Doug Eaton OAM said this year’s expenditure was $1.6 million across all the tourism bodies. He said in the previous year the total expenditure from Council was closer to $2 million. Mr Millard said he had spoken at the Council meeting in order to “look at the new way of moving forward. “If the board and management [of The Entrance Town Centre Management] gets dissolved, I wouldn’t be too upset,” he said.
Wyong Council currently has funding agreements with Greater Toukley Vision and The Entrance Town Centre Management until June 30, 2017. Its current contract with Central Coast Tourism runs out in 2016. Wyong Council acting general manager, Mr Scott Cox said Council has already changed its relationship with The Entrance Town Centre Management, including allowing for greater Council representation. “We asked for a further governance change to have a special delegate appointed by me and that is the chief financial officer, so Council representation has increased from one to three,” Mr Cox said. A recent internal audit showed a number
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of anomalies in terms of Council’s statutory duties and whether they could be delegated to an external partner, Mr Cox said. As a result some statutory functions have been “brought back under the umbrella of Council”, Mr Cox said. A review clause has also been embedded in The Entrance Town Centre Management funding agreement for the last year of its contract. Mr Cox said Wyong Council’s current arrangements in relation to tourism were “unusual” and not a structure that he would recommend. Cr Taylor said there seemed to be a problem with communication between the current bodies to ensure a shire wide strategy to encourage investment to the area. “If council can set up a body that has professional management which can truly communicate and liaise, it will be able to truly represent tourism and all the different centres of Wyong,” Cr Taylor said. Cr Matthews, Vincent and Greenwald exoressed concerns about the motions and moved amendments so staff could prepare a report for a future meeting.
Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
Agenda item 7.2 22 July 2015 Meeting transcript Wyong Council general meeting Jackie Pearson, journalist
August 7, 2015
Kibbleplex sale decision defended
Council proceeds with review of environmental lands
Kibbleplex Photo: Emma Horn
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EO of Gosford Council, Mr Paul Anderson has defended the decision to sell Kibbleplex as the right one for the future of Gosford and the community.
Mr Anderson said the discussion leading to Council’s decision to explore selling the former shopping complex in Henry Parry Dve needed to be confidential. “Until such time as Council had agreed to do the sale, what a person was going to offer us and what we were going to accept were two different and distinct numbers and we didn’t want to give a commercial advantage to any one person,” Mr Anderson said. “For almost two years we have been trying to work out what to do with the building and how we would finance and structurally alter that building to enable us to
potentially look at a library and a university presence,” he said. “The university presence shrunk to a university hub and then we got some advice from the State Library.” According to Mr Anderson, the State Library of NSW said access issues meant the first floor of Kibbleplex was not suitable for a regional library. “We looked at putting a library on the ground floor but a library needs a spanfree open space with lots of natural light,” Mr Anderson said. “Paul Anderson is not interested in building a library per se but in building
a community hub so that we get back to the point where communities mix together and work out that we are not that different. “To do that on the ground floor of Kibbleplex means we would have to cut a big hole in the floor of the first floor which damages the structural integrity of the building,” he said. For the past 12 months, Council has engaged commercial agents to seek expressions of interest from parties in either leasing or buying Kibbleplex. “To be honest, we didn’t get much of a response,” Mr Anderson said. “Then this particular
person or group of companies interested in doing some development in the city were having a meeting with the mayor and me about other projects. “They talked about how they could help fund the process of developing a community hub through a voluntary planning agreement (VPA) to enable them to develop the other site we were meeting to discuss. “They came back three days later and said we want to talk to you about this building [Kibbleplex].” According to Mr Anderson, if the interested party goes ahead and acquires Kibbleplex, the outcome for the community will be “even better” than any proposal already considered
to develop a community hub and regional library. “They will do a development on another site for which they will pay a voluntary planning agreement to be used to pay for a community hub. “They then will buy our building, which they will put a community hub into as part of redeveloping the whole site. “Council becomes a tenant, so we don’t have to worry about building maintenance or repairs for the next 50 years. “We can then use the Federal Government’s $7 million to offset rental or potentially have a strata ownership and potentially get a library for nothing, and I would have thought that was my job.”
Mr Anderson said more money would then be available for “other needed community infrastructure like a regional performing arts centre or improving roads, footpaths and drainage across the city, or cycle ways or, you name it”. He said Council originally acquired Kibbleplex for $11.5 million and is currently having the site revalued to determine its present market price. When asked if he expected Council to make a loss on the sale he said: “Not if I can avoid it.” Interview, 28 July 2015 Paul Anderson, Gosford Council Jackie Pearson, journalist
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Issue 75
Buddhist Temple development application formally lodged
Gosford Council has decided to review of its environmental lands, despite the opposition of two councillors, the Central Coast Greens and the Community Environment Network. Recommendations from the Council’s strategy-policy workshop resulted in Coastal Open Spaces System land being excluded from the review. Land currently zoned E1 and E2, including national parks, nature reserves and ecologically endangered communities remain in the review. In speaking against the motion to go ahead with the review, Cr Morris said she was concerned the review would find land currently zoned as environmental suitable for green fields residential development. The Central Coast Greens and CEN have also opposed the intention to allow further green field development within the Gosford Local Government Area. They have stated that the Central Coast Regional Strategy recognised that Council should focus on urban infill rather than expand into rural or environmental lands. “We already have extensive urban sprawl east of the freeway, and too few green belts protecting our smaller villages and towns,” said Greens spokesperson Ms Kate da Costa. According to Ms Jane Smith from the Community Environment Network, Gosford Council is approaching the environmental zone review with a sense of urgency in order to ensure the State Government honours its commitment to have a new environmental zone that is appropriate for COSS. However, Ms Smith said the urban fringe review is not urgent and could put some environmentally sensitive land at risk of rezoning for future residential development. She said the council did not have to provide for future residential growth.
Cr Hillary Morris
Councillors and staff support COSS Both councillors and council staff are claiming to support Gosford’s unique Coastal Open Spaces System, as part of ongoing discussions about a proposal to review environmental zones and related issues. Councillors and staff discussed the review at a Gosford Council strategy-policy workshop held on Tuesday, July 21. Cr Hillary Morris reported that recommendations relating to the review of environmental zones had been amended to exclude both existing and proposed Coastal Open Spaces System land. The initial recommendations put to the Tuesday, July 14, meeting of Gosford Council stated that the 30 per cent of land yet-to-be-acquired for COSS and potentially existing COSS land, could have been subject to rezoning as part of a proposed Urban Edge Study. The amended recommendations that were presented to the July 28 meeting specifically excluded: “All land west of the M1; land owned by Gosford Council; crown land; and land that is existing or proposed COSS”. Gosford Council general manager Mr Paul Anderson said
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Issue 114
he $3 million Marina Cove concept could be open for business by March 2016, once it received the go-ahead from Gosford Council, according to Commercial HQ director, Mr Tim Gunasinghe.
Peninsula land will be part of Gosford Council’s urban edge study
“In the Central Coast Regional Strategy (2005), the state government planned for population growth of 100,000 by 2031 on the Central Coast with no new greenfield areas in Gosford LGA,” Ms Smith said. She said she believed the proposed urban fringe study was in direct conflict with Council’s own biodiversity strategy. She said that the Council’s own Biodiversity Strategy stated: “This concentration of urban development in the existing urban footprint assists in biodiversity conservation and management by minimising disturbance to the natural vegetated areas.” Ms Smith said: “The deferred land holds environmental and scenic values. “There is no strategic basis for the urban fringe study rather it appears to be a land grab for residential development into environmental sensitive lands that have been identified for over 30 years,” she said. Gosford Council agenda SF.13, 28 Jul 2015 Media release, 26 Jul 2015 Kate da Costa, Central Coast Greens Media release, 27 Jul 2015 Jane Smith, Community Environment Network Interview, 28 Jul 2015 Paul Anderson, Gosford Council Reporter: Jackie Pearson
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Two significant Two years of pain nearly at an end for developments approved by JRPP Marina Cove concept T As someone who grew up on the Central Coast and has spent all his life here, Mr Gunasinghe said getting approval for the Marina Cove had been “two years of pain”. The concept had to be reconfigured following the April super storm and the redesign went before Gosford Council for approval at its Tuesday, August 11 meeting. “Doing something with the Gosford waterfront has been talked about for my entire life and nothing ever gets done,” Mr Gunasinghe said. “Lend Lease pulled out of the finger wharf concept and Council has its master plan, but it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said. Meanwhile, his Marina
the environmental zones review was necessary because when the Gosford Local Environment Plan was drawn up in 2014, some land was “deferred” from being zoned in accordance with new categories determined by the NSW Government. In particular, he said the then Minister for Planning, Mr Brad Hazzard “decided our COSS land was no different to any other environmental land across NSW. “We said we didn’t want educational establishments or dwellings that are allowed in some environmental zones in the COSS land. “So we said we were not going to rezone land into a temporary LEP zone and we are never going to do that until we get a zone suitable for COSS,” Mr Anderson said. According to Mr Anderson, the current Minister for Planning, Mr Rob Stokes, is prepared to work with Gosford Council to create a special zone for COSS. “So we finally got some sense out of State Government but we have to do the review because we are now running three different planning instruments and we want to go to one planning instrument,” Mr Anderson said.
He said the NSW Government is in the process of enacting the special zone. “In reality, our urban edge study gives a whole lot of protection to COSS because it reinforces our objectives and enhances what we have got in Gosford City,” he said. “I am pleased that I have been able to confirm that COSS lands are excluded from the review and the COSS strategy will be continued,” said Cr Morris. “I commend Council for persevering with seeking to convince the government to create a separate zoning for COSS (E5), as COSS lands are community owned nature reserves and not part of the E1 National Parks and Nature Reserves Zoning,” she said. Gosford Council Agenda SF.13, 28 Jul 2015 Media release, 26 Jul 2015 Kate da Costa, Central Coast Greens Media release, 27 Jul 2015 Jane Smith, Community Environment Network Interview, 28 Jul 2015 Paul Anderson, Gosford Council Reporter: Jackie Pearson
Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
Cove concept consists of 10 pre-fabricated eateries that he said would “draw people to the waterfront”. “They are modular, commercial, factory-built structures, that are built off site and then attached to services on site,” he said. According to Mr Gunasinghe, all 10 eateries have already been leased and no two will serve the same type of food. The Marina Cove will include Japanese, Singaporean, Italian, Pizzas and Burgers, Caribbean, Indian, Tappas and a café. All 10 eateries will also be licensed. “We have redesigned the development to raise it 1.25 metres above current ground level to protect it from storm surges and sea level rise.
“When we put up the original design to Council, we had a unanimous decision to move forward and support us,” he said. The land will be leased from the NSW Government for 15 years with renewal opportunities. “I could have it finished for March. “It is about making Gosford a destination, and I am working with Central Coast Tourism, because at the moment, people drive to the Reptile Park and turn around and go back to Sydney. “Gosford is not a destination at the moment, it is a hole in the middle of a doughnut,” he said. Interview, 10 August 2015 Tim Gunasinghe, CommercialHQ Jackie Pearson, journalist
A montage of the Buddhist temple and ancillary buildings
will create 5,000 much- has been spent so far by development application for the long talked about Buddhist the site. The NSW Department needed local jobs. the applicants. Temple has been formally lodged with Wyong Council.
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Council has received an application for a Buddhist temple and ancillary buildings on a 2.61ha parcel of land at Sparks Rd, Warnervale, on the proposed Chinese Theme Park site. The $83.5million proposal includes Buddhist ceremonial and meditation halls, a 244 unit, four storey
pilgrim lodge, basement car parking area, internal roads, landscaping and associated infrastructure. The development proposes 24 hour per day and seven day per week operation as a place of public worship employing over 150 fulltime staff and with 20 monks residing full time at the lodge.
The application will be publicly exhibited within the coming weeks for public comment. This site forms part of the 15.7ha Australia China Theme Park site which is currently under consideration for a planning proposal to allow a range of additional tourist related uses to be considered on
of Planning and Environment has issued a gateway determination for the proposal and the applicant is undertaking a range of studies as part of the planning proposal process. In response to the lodgement, Cr Lloyd Taylor said: “This application is the beginning of a $500 million development for Wyong shire that
“The flow-on effect of other associated jobs will be staggering,” Cr Taylor said. “When completed, the complex will incorporate 50 restaurants, a 500 seat theatre, parks, waterways and a hotel,” he said. “I am very happy this application has been lodged and it demonstrates the commitment to proceed, as over a million dollars
“The development application fee itself is close to $100,000. “In the coming months, everybody will have the opportunity to see the extent of the vision regarding this plan,” Cr Taylor said. Media release, 27 July 2015 Wyong Council media Email, 28 July 2015 Lloyd Taylor, Wyong Council
THIS ISSUE contains 51 articles - Read more news items for this issue at www.peninsulanews.info Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
Your independent local newspaper
3 August 2015
Issue 74
Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
One of the approved buildings on the corner of 43 Beane St and Keevers Ln Gosford
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wo more significant developments received approval from the Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) when it met on Thursday, July 16.
Gosford Council mayor and JRPP representative, Cr Lawrie McKinna said approval was given for $7.5 million worth of extensions and other works at North Gosford Private Hospital. “It has to go through the JRPP because it is a hospital,” Cr McKinna said. A $25.5 million residential and commercial development at 43 Beane St was also given the green
light by the JRPP. Cr McKinna said the JRPP requested more information on a third development, a residential flat building at 21-23 Mann St, Gosford. “It will go back to the JRPP and will be reassessed on its merits in September,” Cr McKinna said. He said he had not yet been notified of when the
next Hunter and Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel meeting would be held. However, he expected the major three-tower Waterside development in Mann St would soon be reviewed by the JRPP. Interview, 11 August 2015 Lawrie McKinna, Gosford Council Jackie Pearson, journalist
Artist's impression of Marina Cove under Brian McGowan Bridge on Gosford's waterfront
Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford - Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 - Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 - E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net - Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
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