Shock twist in Gosford Cultural Precinct as council mulls bid to decline all tenders and halt plan
The ongoing saga of the Central Coast Council’s Cultural Precinct Plan, which includes the long-awaited Regional Performing Arts Centre, could be about to take another interesting turn.
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The nail will soon be in the coffin for the current and confidential Gosford Cultural Precinct plan.
Central Coast Council will vote on putting a stop to all tenders in relation to the highly-anticipated precinct to include the Regional Performing Arts Centre (RPAC) at Monday night’s meeting.
On September 26, the council voted to withdraw from any further work on the Gosford Cultural Precinct in its current form and proceed with a stand-alone Gosford Regional Library.
This included ending negotiations to buy 123B-125A Donnison St, Gosford which currently houses ET Australia. The plan was to demolish the site to make way for the precinct.
In June the Express revealed the council was working on secret plans for a $171 million tower to house the Regional Performing Arts Centre and library.
However, plans were kept confidential due to land acquisitions not being finalised.
As time went on it appeared the plans were going nowhere and council eventually voted to just proceed with the library and review plans for the RPAC.
A council report indicated the council received six tenders for the precinct plans.
On Monday, council will also vote whether to end negotiations to buy 135-137 Erina St East, Gosford which it was considering for the relocation of ET Australia.
“Following discussions with the project control group it was deemed that continuing negotiations and purchasing the subject properties were no longer in council’s interest and
subsequently negotiations for both properties should cease,” the council report states.
In September, Liberal MLC for the Central Coast Taylor Martin said council have had $32 million, including state and federal government grants, ready to go to build the RPAC for the past four years.
“Now, council have tried to use the $32m in funding to underpin a monstrosity which would cost ratepayers over $170m,” he said.
“Simply put — this would represent the biggest financial risk in a generation to our council and therefore to ratepayers and the services they demand. No one on the coast has confidence in this council to deliver this project.”