Gosford Waterfront: Central Coast Council to come up with three options to bring it to life

No one expects change at Gosford Waterfront any time soon … however three options will be put forward for the iconic site. Is it time for the long-awaited redevelopment?

A previous masterplan for the Gosford Waterfront

Three options will be prepared with the view to breathe life into Gosford Waterfront.

The waterfront has endured 30 years of proposals and plans, with many people sceptical that the waterfront will never be anything more than what it is today.

But Central Coast Council’s Interim Administrator Dick Persson AM has reignited the process to revitalise the tired waterfront, saying “the time will come”.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, he approved a renewal framework that will help speed up the process to create something amazing at the iconic site. Council will look at previous masterplans, including the most current from 2010, when looking at options.

The waterfront. Picture: Linda Evans

Mr Persson says “the time will come.

Mr Persson said part of the reason the waterfront hasn’t taken off was the lack of confidence from investors with the small population of Gosford CBD.

“Any activation requires lots of people living in an area,” he said.

“We have 2000 people living in the Gosford Town Centre and that will grow to 10,000 over the next five years so it will be necessary to activate Gosford. The time will come. We have got to get planning in place.

“I envisage that in 10 years time we will see a vibrant, active waterfront precinct.”

He said the council owned the water at the location which was a “game changer” in the process.

Council is set to prepare options for the site. Picture: Mark Scott

“This Framework will help achieve optimal development outcomes to deliver a range of economic, cultural, and social benefits for the region and community,” he said.

“Gosford is dead at night and there’s young people that have very few places to go. There is a chance here to do something special. The fact that things haven’t worked before, doesn’t mean you give up.”

Once a business case has been completed, council will put out expressions of interest to private partners to explore potential development sites along the waterfront.

Mr Persson said the current State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPP) were too restrictive in terms of land use, building heights and floor space ratio at the location. He recently met with NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes asking for him to look at the SEPP and consider bringing the Government Architect in to look at the waterfront.

Local resident Mark Ellis called on council not to go over old failed plans.

“I am absolutely gobsmacked that they are dredging up a 10 year old plan,” he said.

“Look at something different, don’t go with failed options.”

He recalled issues of concern in the past from the loss of Crown land to contamination, depth of the water and climate change predictions, and asked council to bring the community on the journey at an early stage to avoid issues down the track.

“Why haven’t the politicians and bureaucrats not learned from the past and included the community from the beginning,” he said. “This is the community’s land, it is not a cash cow.”

Previous proposals and plans

2010 Our City, Our Destiny Masterplan

This remains the most current plan for the waterfront. The plan allows continuous public access with the site also including retail, entertainment, offices and waterfront apartments.

The most current masterplan for the Gosford Waterfront, which will be explored.

2011 The Landing by Lendlease

In 2011, the Leadlease and former Central Coast Regional Development Corporation proposal ‘The Landing at Gosford’ lobbed after the waterfront was declared a state significant site.

The plan linked the waterfront to a performing arts precinct with hotel, residential piers, office buildings as well as boutiques, cafes and restaurants.

Community concerns around heights and overdevelopment saw a reduction in the proposal, along with new development controls for the site, and Lendlease withdrew the proposal.

This proposal included a performing arts precinct on the waterfront.

Gosford Waterfront Strategy – 2007

This strategy proposed the waterfront house medium size marinas as well as restaurants, shops, cafes, galleries along with a boardwalk over the water. However the main focus of this strategy was on community recreation facilities.

The strategy was never activated due and was replaced by the 2010 masterplan.

Fast ferry terminals

As early as 1986, fast ferry terminals were tossed up for the site with visions of a fast ferry between Gosford and Circular Quay

In the late 90s, expressions of interest went out and Trader’s Finance Holdings Pty Ltd came to the party, however failed to submit an application.

In 2010 council issued a media statement saying, “Although council granted consent, the ferry/wharf will not be proceeding due to the applicant not obtaining a vessel and finance. Council has cancelled the lease, therefore, the proposal cannot proceed.”

Artist impression of the boat harbour high speed ferry terminal planned for Gosford Waterfront in 1999.

The council has also explored other issues around the site from Dane Drive, looking at options to move the road underground, as well as flooding issues which have seen recommendations to upgrade the seawall, and contaminated land from the sediments in the boat harbour.