Pacific Highway, Kanwal: High-rise village, hundreds of homes to replace Central Coast caravan park

A humble Central Coast caravan park is set to be transformed into a high-rise residential community – with hundreds of homes, an outdoor gym and shopping hub earmarked for the site.

Wallarah Road and Pacific Highway Kanwal

A humble Central Coast caravan park is set to be transformed into a high-rise residential community – with hundreds of homes, an outdoor gym and shopping hub earmarked to result in more than 1000 new residents.

The current caravan park site at Wallarah Rd and the Pacific Hwy at Kanwal could see as many 12 multi-storey towers constructed as part of a long-term vision, which has been revised by developers, Vivacity Property.

Wallarah Road and Pacific Highway Kanwal

What the Village site looks like currently

A planner for the $75 million project it would see 675 homes built.

“The Central Coast’s population is projected to increase to 404,250 people by 2041, requiring an additional 32,550 dwellings,” the planner said. “The proposal includes the provision of 15 per cent affordable housing, resulting in the creation of 102 apartments dedicated to the affordable housing market.”

Wallarah Road and Pacific Highway Kanwal

The planner also forecast affordable housing initiatives as part of the plans.

“The proposed development will provide higher-density housing options required to meet the needs of this growing population,” the planner said. “It will help support the projected increase by providing additional housing supply suited towards a diverse range of people ranging from lone person households to families.”

Apartments would range from one-, to three-bedrooms in residential towers reaching up to 12-storeys high.

A resident of the caravan park, who did not wish to be named, said several people living at the village had raised concerns about being “priced out of the market” while being moved out of the site.

“This is our home, and while it has been under threat of development for a while, we still don’t know what we are going to do if we are still around when it gets bulldozed,” she said. “We certainly won’t be able to afford to live in what will be built in the park’s replacement.”

What the Village site looks like currently

Planning documents state it was “vital to the success of the proposed development that the proponent carefully and respectfully considers the transition of the existing tenants”.

Caravan Industry Association of Australia representative Luke Chippindale said he doesn’t want to see part of Australia’s “holiday culture striped from the landscape”.

“Luckily we aren’t seeing widespread development of caravan parks, infact, we are seeing a resurgence of them,” he said. “We know that caravan parks offer a holiday opportunity at every price point and afforable housing to aging populations.

“The question is, will this development meet the affordable housing demand that the caravan park currently offers.”