The consolidated Central Coast Local Environmental Plan and Central Coast Development Control Plan will be implemented and effective from 1 August 2022, providing a consistent planning framework for the region and pathway toward a smoother process for development applications and assessment. 

The new Central Coast Local Environmental Plan 2022 (CCLEP 2022) has been finalised and was notified on the NSW Legislation website on 24 June 2022.  It will come into effect on 1 August 2022 and the consolidated Central Coast Development Control Plan 2022 (CCDCP 2022) will also come into force on the same date.

The CCLEP and CCDCP are now available to view online through Council’s website, centralcoast.nsw.gov.au. 

The Central Coast Local Environmental Plan is the primary legal planning document for guiding land use and planning decisions made by Council. It is supported by the Central Coast Development Control Plan which details planning and design guidelines.

Council Director of Environment and Planning, Alice Howe said the harmonisation of the former Gosford and Wyong Shire Council planning controls has been four years in the making. 

“Since the amalgamation in 2016, Council staff have undertaken extensive community and stakeholder consultation and worked diligently to review and combine the most appropriate, and generally the most flexible provisions, from the former four planning instrument and controls,” Dr Howe said.

“The consolidated Central Coast LEP and DCP have created uniformed planning controls which will now streamline the development application and approval process for the Central Coast community, investors and Council staff.”

Council Administrator, Rik Hart said community input played an important role in reaching this milestone, which provides multiple benefits for the region.

“Through zoning and development controls, the LEP allows Council to manage the way in which land is used to strategically plan for the region and shape and support our local communities.” 

“Extensive consultation over four years resulted in 750 public submissions from agencies, residents and councillors, which provided valuable input and enabled the creation of a contemporary and consolidated Central Coast LEP that reflects community priorities. 

“It’s enormously beneficial to have consistency in planning controls across the region. This leads to greater efficiencies in preparing and assessing development applications, which encourages investment and provides a boost to local jobs and increases quality housing and infrastructure for our growing population,” Mr Hart said.

In the future, the CCLEP will be updated as required, in response to emerging strategic priorities for the Coast. 

The CCLEP applies to approximately 95 percent of the LGA, with the remaining land either the Gosford City Centre or ‘deferred land’ under the CCLEP, which is subject to further assessment of its environmental values. 

The next stage of updating the CCLEP will be the environmental lands review, which will seek to apply contemporary land use zones to these deferred lands. These proposed changes are expected to be publicly exhibited before the end of 2022.

Development applications will be assessed on the DCP and LEP current at the time of lodgement with Council.  The consolidated CCDCP and CCLEP will be used for development applications lodged from 1 August 2022.   

Development applications lodged between 24 June and 1 August 2022 will be subject to the provisions of existing planning controls, although such applications MUST set out compliance with the provisions of CCLEP 2022, even if they are lodged prior to 1 August 2022, given that the adoption of CCLEP 2022 is imminent and certain.

The Central Coast Local Environmental Plan and Central Coast Development Control Plan are now available to view online through Council’s website, centralcoast.nsw.gov.au.  Read the Fact Sheet and FAQs on the implementation of the new Central Coast LEP and DCP here. 

ENDS