Council has reached an important milestone with the adoption of the consolidated region-wide Central Coast Local Environmental Plan (CCLEP) and Development Control Plan (CCDCP) to help alleviate planning complexities and inconsistencies across the region and creating certainty for residents and the local development industry.

Since amalgamation the Central Coast has been operating under five different planning instruments each with different planning controls.  These include: Gosford Local Environmental Plan 2014 (GLEP 2014); Gosford Planning Scheme Ordinance (GPSO); Interim Development Order No. 122 (IDO 122); Interim Development Order No. 146 (IDO 146) and Wyong Local Environmental Plan 2013 (WLEP 2013).

Council Director of Environment and Planning, Scott Cox said this process has been a massive undertaking with community participation playing a vital role to ensure that a well-considered and collaborative approach was taken to lay the foundations of a region-wide planning roadmap that covers 95% of the region.

“Over a four year period, Council staff conducted extensive consultation with agencies, the community and Councillors, with over 750 public submissions received during the public exhibition period and 345 community members attending face-to-face engagement sessions.   All community submissions and feedback were considered alongside Councillor and agency responses with appropriate amendments applied,” Mr Cox said.

“An outcome of consultation activity is a decision to retain a 550m2 minimum lot size where it currently applies in the former Gosford LGA to the R2 Low Density Residential zone, an 8.5m maximum building height in the former Gosford LGA R2 Low Density Residential zone and current DCP 3.1 Floodplain Management controls”.

“In addition, the lands identified as ‘Deferred Matters’ under GLEP 2014 will remain deferred under the CCLEP and be rezoned following the completion of the Environmental Lands Review. This will progress as a priority project in early 2021.  This will provide the opportunity for additional work and studies to ensure that related impacts have an evidence-basis before appropriate policy settings are recommended,” Mr Cox said.

Whilst consolidation of the planning instruments creates consistency in the way Council applies its planning controls across the Central Coast, Council has been mindful to not impose a one size fits all approach to development.

“We know that what works in some areas of the Coast may not work in others, so this process has retained site specific and town centre controls in many areas, such as Woy Woy, and additional controls and site specific chapters are part of the consolidated DCP. This includes the retention of character statements in the former Gosford LGA under the Draft CCDCP,” Mr Cox said.

Council Administrator Dick Persson AM said reaching this decision is good news for the community, development industry and staff, that will benefit from the reduced complexities in lodging and assessing applications and simplified planning processes. 

“Reaching this goal of having one Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and one Development Control Plan (DCP) puts us on a solid pathway to improve our local environment and encourage investment, create new jobs and quality housing for the growing population of the Central Coast”.

For further information on the development of the CCLEP and CCDEP including Frequently Asked Questions, go to yourvoiceourcoast.com