Forster Civic Precinct: $18M plan’s construction date still unknown says MidCoast Council
An $18m development part-completed on the edge of the Forster CBD remains on hold with no date for work to start again. It is seven months since work stopped due to financial woes.
Mid-North Coast
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An $18 million development which was set to revitalise the Forster CBD and provide contemporary public facilities to the community has been sitting partially completed since May with no confirmed date for work to recommence.
The Forster Civic Precinct, an integrated public-private development between MidCoast Council and developer Enyoc, was approved back in September 2017 and the first sod turned on the project in January 2019.
A foundation and a few floors have been laid at its central Forster location on West St since, but no progress made since worked stalled in May due to issues regarding the financial status of the developer who has been impacted by COVID-19.
A council spokeswoman told the Mid-North Coast that discussions were still being had with the developer, and that more details would be available in the coming weeks.
“Council continues to work with the developer on options to restart works on site. At present there is no firm timeframe on when works will restart,” she said.
The council’s last update to the community, published in a statement on its website in May, confirmed that work had stopped.
“Council cannot comment on the financial situation currently being experienced by the developer or the payment of sub-contractors,” it stated.
“This is a matter for the developer who engages all contractors and makes their payment term arrangements.
“A legal contract is in place with the developer and at this point in time both parties aim to deliver the project in accordance with this contract.”
The Mid-North Coast News has been unable to obtain Enyoc’s current financial status, debts owing to council or subcontractors or update on work as we’ve been unsuccessful in reaching CEO Coyne Graham for comment.
The council received $6 million of Federal Funding through the National Stronger Regions Fund to fund the new Forster Civic Precinct, which would deliver a number of new civic services and facilities.
The council matched the federal contribution dollar-for-dollar to build a public library of 2,000 sq metres, a customer service centre and Visitor Information Centre.
Offices, meeting rooms and amenities, an indoor and an outdoor public community space capable of accommodating at least 200 people and about 180 car parking spaces were also part of the plan.
In 2015, the council resolved to investigate the possibility of entering into a commercial arrangement with a developer to allow a mix of private and public use of he site on the edge of Forster‘s CBD.
In 2017, It signed on with Enyoc - who provided a further $6 million of in-kind support to deliver the public component of the project, taking the total cost of the project to $18 million.
Enyoc planned to build its own commercial project – known as Solaris – on the same site. Plans for this include 139 seniors apartments, a new five-star hotel, nightclub, cinemas and supermarket.
The deal has been described on the council’s website as ‘a great outcome for MidCoast ratepayers.’
The Forster Civic Precinct was approved for development by the Joint Regional Planning Panel in September 2017, and work commenced in January 2019.
In a text message sent to the Mid-North Coast News, MidCoast Councillor Peter Epov said he has held grave concerns for the project since the beginning.
“It appears that the project stalled due to a lack of funds from the developer,” he wrote.
“Thus far council has advanced all the land for the project and $12 million in cash, which included a $6 million grant from the Feds.
“In return, we where to receive a building shell for a library which would house some other administrative functions and the developer would receive total to the land, the underground car park and over $30,000 sq metres of build space which could be developed into residential and commercial space to be sold or leased or both.
“I have had very grave concerns about this deal and the troubled project since its inception.”