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20/02/2024Central Coast Council is taking the next steps in the reclassification of 10 Council owned properties from community land to operational land.
The sites to be reclassified were reviewed by Council in 2023 and the choice of sites was streamlined to ensure that only sites with the highest level of community benefit were included.
Most of the sites will continue to remain in community ownership in the future, being either retained in Council ownership or transferred to well-established locally based community organisation that provide valued recreational, sporting or accommodation facilities.
One property will be sold on the open market with the proceeds of sale being used to fund a new community centre. Both the property to be sold and its replacement are located at Norah Head.
The reclassification of some of the other sites will allow vital road upgrade projects to proceed in the fast-growing northern sector of our area.
The reclassification process is overseen by the NSW Government through the Minister for Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and there is an extensive series of public interest tests that must be met in order the reclassifications to gain ministerial approval.
The 10 properties will be on public exhibition from 20 February to 18 March 2024.
Public hearings will also be held at which the community can have their say in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993.
Council’s Director of Environment and Planning, Alice Howe said it is important that Council land is classified appropriately.
“In a fast-growing area like the Central Coast, it is essential that the mix of community and operational land is reviewed regularly to ensure that the community is receiving the best value that it can from all the land in public hands. The key characteristic of community land is that it is managed for long term public benefit and there are significant restrictions on the way that it can be managed.
“On some occasions, the restrictions applied to community land get in the way of efficient land management,” Dr Howe said.
“For example, if a major sporting or recreational club is willing to invest millions of dollars in new community facilities, it must have the certainty of either freehold ownership or a long-term lease. Neither of these options is available under a community land classification.”
The intent behind the reclassification for each site is detailed in the table below.
Site | Lot/DP | Reason for reclassification |
Lot 2 DP 1011876 | To support the Gosford waterfront and stadium revitalisation initiative by providing increased flexibility for potential future uses. | |
48W Wallarah Road, Gorokan | Lot 2 DP 733448 | To rationalise use of land by the adjoining club either via sale or long-term lease. |
191 Wallarah Road, Kanwal | Lot 21 DP 813270 | To rationalise use of land by adjoining club either via sale or long-term lease. |
75 Bungary Road, Norah Head | Lot 5 Sec 24 DP 758779 & Lot 1 DP 860696 | To sell via open market to part-fund development of a new community centre at Norah Head. |
Part 2-4 Park Road, The Entrance | Part Lot 10 DP 1285833 & part Lot 1 DP 406038 | To enable rebuilding of The Greens Bowling Club, either via sale or long-term lease. |
13 and 15 Yaralla Road, Toukley | Lot 78 DP 20493 & Lot 79 DP 20493 | To enable inclusion of land in Council’s affordable housing sites portfolio, either via sale or long-term lease. |
49-51 Mann Street, Gosford | Lot 1 DP 251476
| This small sliver of land was inadvertently omitted from the recent reclassification of land to support sale of the former Council chambers at Gosford to TAFE. |
| 50W Parraweena Rd, Gwandalan | Lot 1 DP 1043151 | Reclassification will allow the land to be available for dedication as public road reserve, long term-lease or sale. The consequence will be to achieve the full commercial potential of the business centre to the north. |
| Part 6W Kemira Road, Lake Munmorah | Part Lot 79 DP 217918 | Reclassification will allow the land to be available for dedication as public road reserve. The consequence will be to correct a procedural oversight that occurred at the rezoning stage. This site is not proposed to be sold. |
| Part 20 Summerland Road Summerland Point | Part Lot 4 DP 263812 | It is intended that the land should be offered to the owner of Sporties (being Doyalson-Wyee RSL Club) on a long-term operational lease on suitable commercial terms, providing opportunity for substantial upgrades and modernisation of facilities on-site. |
In addition to the reclassifications, Council is proposing to rezone 3 sites (4 lots) from RE1 Public Recreation to RE2 Private Recreation. These sites are:
- 48w Wallarah Road, Gorokan NSW (Lot 2 DP733448)
- 191 Wallarah Road, Kanwal NSW (Lot 21 DP 813270)
- Part 2-4 Park Road, The Entrance NSW (part Lot 10 DP 1285833 and part Lot 1 DP 406038)
Two public hearings will be held in relation to the Planning Proposal:
- Tuesday 9 April 2024 – time to be advised - Erina Centre (adjacent to Erina Library) in Erina Fair Shopping Centre (this session focuses on sites in the south)
- Thursday 11 April 2024 – time to be advised - Wyong Administration Centre, Hely Street Wyong (this session focuses on sites in the north).
The public hearings will be chaired by a person who is independent of Council.
Dr Howe said the public hearings provide opportunities for the public to comment on the change of classification of the lands from community to operational, including the opportunity to make a short verbal presentation to the chairperson of the hearing. Written submissions will also be accepted by the chairperson.
“I must stress, this is not about Council in any way taking the ‘community’ out of community land.
“The majority of the sites will remain for community use and benefit, either through continued Council ownership or sale to a community-minded organisation in our local area,” Mr Hart said.
“This is all about ensuring that the local community derives the greatest benefit from what they own now. “
For more information and to have your say visit: https://www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/RPP
ENDS