Central Coast Council is inviting the community to have their say on the Urban Spatial Plan which establishes a 20 year strategic framework to tackle the challenges of our growing population.

The framework, called the Urban Spatial Plan, aims to deliver the housing diversity, transport improvements, infrastructure upgrades and economic and social vitality required by our community, whilst protecting the Coast’s natural attributes and our quality of life.

Council Director, Environment and Planning, Scott Cox said development of the Urban Spatial Plan was an important step in setting a clear direction for growth across the coast in order to support the region’s forecast population growth.

“The population of the Central Coast is expected to grow to 415,000 by 2036, with as many as 75,000 new residents living in the region,” Mr Cox said.

“The Urban Spatial Plan establishes a framework for how we manage this growth in a balanced and sustainable way, enabling urban growth within existing centres, planned precincts and corridors whilst preserving the coastal lifestyle and environment we value so much.

“Our direction for growth promotes Gosford Regional Centre as the central connection point of the many coastal and hinterland centres with a networked transport system that connects the community to the services they need.

“It addresses six key initiatives across the region including housing, transport and infrastructure, planning for open space and community and creating a sustainable environment with resilient communities.

“It also outlines how we will work with the NSW Government to activate Gosford as the capital of the Central Coast with supporting strategic centres at Woy Woy, Erina, Tuggerah, Wyong and Warnervale and how we will drive the coastal economy through planning for new and innovative industries to choose the coast to be their home and grow regionally competitive tourism destinations across the entire Central Coast,” Mr Cox said.

The Urban Spatial Plan represents the first step towards defining a Local Strategic Planning Statement for the region and aligns with what our community have already told us they want through the Community Strategic Plan.

Mayor Jane Smith said the Plan is the blueprint of what the Coast will look like in the future and it is crucial the community is involved.

“This is Council’s vision for sustainable development on the Coast – meeting the needs of our current residents whilst planning for the future,” Mayor Smith said.

“We need to accommodate growth whilst enhancing the local character of neighbourhoods and protecting the natural environment that the community has told us are important to them.

“We want our community to be a part of that vision. Of ensuring the Coast can accommodate future growth without compromising the great lifestyle we enjoy on the Coast.

“I encourage everyone to look at the Plan, attend a drop-in session or talk to staff about the Urban Spatial Plan to find out what it means for you, your neighbourhood and how it will shape the future of the Central Coast.”

For more information and to make a submission on the draft Plan, go to www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/UrbanSpatialPlan

Public exhibition closes 24 October, 2019.