Hoyts Erina expansion approved
Central Coast movie buffs have something to look forward to after Central Coast Council approved $9m expansion plans by Hoyts Cinema at Erina.
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Central Coast movie buffs have something to look forward to after Central Coast Council approved $9m expansion plans by Hoyts Cinema at Erina.
The plan will increase the number of screens from eight to ten with an extra 592 seats in two new cinema auditoriums.
The plans for the substantial extension were lodged in 2017 and the formal approval advertised last week.
The new building will be located west of the current Hoyts building with total area of 2012 sqm. It will be connected to the existing building by a corridor.
There are no plans, however, for extra carparking. A traffic report found that Erina Fair has “surplus carparking of 182 spaces”. The proposed development has a carparking requirement of 101 spaces.
Central Coast Councillors were briefed about the plans back in July last year when Lend lease spokesman Jim Davis addressed the council and said the project would 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.
The Erina Fair site has long links to the cinema industry and was formally the site of the Central Coast’s only drive-in theatre.
The drive-in was known by a few names over the years: Erina Drive-in, Gosford Skyline, Greater Union Drive-in Theatre.
It opened in February 1958 on land which is now covered by the shopping centre.
The four hectare site could hold 106 cars and its 31m x 14m screen could be seen from every parking spot.
Over the years it included a barbecue area and cafeteria (staffed by chefs), children’s playgrounds, pony and train rides and there was little the owners would not do to lure and entertain crowds.
Brendan Connolly is the co-author of the definitive history of Central Coast Cinemas, titled Paddocks, Palaces and Picture Shows.
Connolly’s book describes one publicity stunt in front of the Drive-in cafeteria during the screening of 1966 classic Born Free.
Eric Worrell — founder of the Australian Reptile Park — put on a display with live crocodiles.
The Drive-in closed after 27 years in March 1985. The rise of home video largely blamed for its demise. The last films shown there were The Terminator and First Blood.
It stood derillict until 1992 when the screen was finally pulled down and the land disappeared under the car park.
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