Central Coast Council: 5 decisions from July 9 meeting
A development that could create 200 jobs, a movie theatre expansion, the saga of Warnervale Airport, what to do with stray cats, and the creation of an urban forest. We were there. This is what they decided.
Central Coast
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1. Up to 200 jobs
As many as 200 jobs could be created in a retail lifestyle hub on the defunct Masters Hardware site in West Gosford.
The Home Consortium group, which snapped up at least ten Masters stores when the business went belly up, was given the go ahead by Central Coast Council last night to triple the maximum floor space of the building.
This will allow Home Consortium to create a “hypermarket” style development with a wide range of products under one roof.
Company director and CEO Tze-Wei Chong addressed last night’s council meeting and said the transformation of the disused building could create up to 200 new retail jobs.
Mr Chong told council the company would invest $15-20 million in the site and draw in “large format retailers” and aimed to open the complex this year.
Mr Chong said planned redevelopment of the Masters Site would bring vibrant retail options to the growing Central Coast population while allowing a disused site to become viable.
2. Airport replay
A Central Coast Councillor has vowed to bring the Warnervale Airport issue back to council “over and over again until the current council is dissolved”.
Cr Greg Best made the promise at last night’s meeting when his attempt to rescind a previous decision to stop work on the airport site failed for the second time.
Cr Best, with backing from Crs Jilly Pillion and Bruce McLachlan, tried to reverse the council’s resolution to suspend works at Central Coast Airport and divert funds to other employment generating projects.
The original resolution, which still stands, reallocates the balance of the $6 million allocated in 2017 from the Airport to an employment generating strategy for the north of the Coast.
Cr Best repeated his view that the original airport plan should be put out for public scrutiny.
“Other regions are growing their airport hubs and I want to know what the public view on this issue is,” he said.
Cr McLachaln said there was a “shroud of secrecy” around the never-exhibited masterplan for the airport.
“It doesn’t matter whether I think it’s good or bad, it’s about transparency,” Cr McLachlan said.
Councillor Jeff Sunstrom described the repeated rescission motions as “vexatious” and said they should not be supported.
Mayor Jane Smith said council remain steadfast in its view that better value for money for residents would be found beyond the airport.
3. Cats are back
Its official — stray and feral cats will be accepted again at Central Coast Council Erina and Chamhaven pounds following last night’s council meeting.
Fears of a cat dumping epidemic and environmental disaster were expressed last week when it was revealed that people who had found strays cats were being turned away from animal care facilities.
Council’s director environment and planning Scott Cox told councillors the no-cats stance had been the result of a “staff misunderstanding”.
“There was never any policy change and both facilities will now accept cats,” Mr Cox said.
A number of animal groups and activists addressed the meeting including Charmhaven pound volunteer Luke Hessel who said the Erina and Charmhaven facilities were too small to deal with the number of companion animals being handed in.
“During all the population growth that has occurred on the Central Coast in the last 30 years the size of the facilities has remained unchanged,” Mr Hessel said.
“A super pound is required that’s bigger than both the Charmhaven and Erina facilities,” he said.
Lawyers for companion animals spokeswoman Anne Greenaway also addressed the meeting and urged the council to consider forming a Companion Animals Advisory Committee which would address issues around cats and dogs in the region. A report on this possibility will now be prepared for council to consider in the future.
In the last financial year 312 cats were surrendered to the Facilities with the overwhelming majority rehomed or returned to their owners.
4. Hoyts to expand
Movie lovers can rejoice after Central Coast Council approved an extension of the Hoyts Cinema Complex at Erina Fair last night.
The extension will include two new cinema screens, seating for 296 people, and an internal fit out.
Lend Lease spokesman Jim Davis addressed the council and said the project would cost almost $9 million and create new jobs.
The original 8 cinema complex was built in 1996 when the estimated population of the Central Coast was 263,050. The Central Coast area population forecast for 2018 is 342,548, and is forecast to grow to 414,615 by 2036.
Councillor Troy Marquart he had fond memories of working in a cinema and hoped the project would lead to more employment opportunities for local people.
“This will be good for the area,” he said.
However, not everyone was totally in favour of the Hoyts expansion with mayor Jane Smith and Cr Louise Greenaway voting against it.
Cr Smith said she objected to the removal of 29 trees — a key threatening process for native species — and said the building did not comply with height restrictions.
“I think the applicant could do more to minimise the inmpact,” she said.
5. Urban forest plan
They say nothing in life is free, but that’s not true when it comes to a Central Coast Council plan to create an “urban forest” across the suburbs of the region.
Council will hand out up to 1500 native tree tube stock as an initial step in its plan to develop the Urban forest Strategy.
The tree giveaway will happen at community events including National Tree Day and the Lakes Festival and will cost council around $6000.
There’s a catch — the trees can only be planted in your own yard — not on council property — due to the risk of damage to infrastructure like pipes and footpaths.
The problems of tree planting campaigns were highlighted during the meeting. A report tabled by staff said previous tree giveaways had not been very successful.
The report said that the former Gosford Council had given away 896 trees to 388 people each year between 2012 and 2016. Only 20 per cent of those trees survived at a total cost to council of about $40,000.
Councillor Richard Mehrtens said during the meeting that Central Coast Council was one of just a few councils that did not have a tree giveaway program.
He said council needed a “more developed” free tree policy.