Gosford Bowling Club land in Dane St, Gosford, has been reclassified along with nine other lots of Central Coast Council-owned land.
The reclassification of the sites from “community” land to “operational” land allows Council to sell or lease the land.
The process began more than two years ago when Council-under-administration reviewed its community land.
Then early in 2024 Council, while still under administration, held public meetings to gauge community feedback on the sites it wanted to change.
The public meeting about the land including Gosford Bowling Club attracted lots of speakers, including blind bowlers, pictured below, who wanted the land left as community land so the club could continue.
Since then, the club has folded, due to lack of support from both Central Coast Leagues Club and Council.
The 10 sites and the reason for their reclassification is shown in the screenshot.
In addition to the reclassifications, three sites were rezoned from public recreation to private recreation.
They are 48w Wallarah Road, Gorokan; 191 Wallarah Road, Kanwal and part of 2-4 Park Road, The Entrance.
In 2024 Administrator Rik Hart said most of the sites would continue to remain in community ownership in the future, being either retained in Council ownership or transferred to well-established locally-based community organisations that provide valued recreational, sporting or accommodation facilities.
“One property will be sold on the open market with the proceeds of sale being used to fund a new community centre,” he said.
“Both the property to be sold and its replacement are located at Norah Head.
“The reclassification of some of the other sites will allow vital road upgrade projects to proceed in the fast-growing northern sector of our area.”
The bowling club site was reclassified “to support the Gosford waterfront and stadium revitalisation initiative by providing increased flexibility for potential future uses”.
In other reports, those potential future uses included the option of a high rise hotel.
The reclassification process included approval from the Minister for Planning and was signed off by NSW Governor Margaret Beasley in early August.
Merilyn Vale
fact check required as gosford city bowling club is located on Dane Drive not Dane St as reported in your story.
Very disappointing decision by CCC and CCLC.
Particularly CCLC which was formed originally as a CC league of clubs not just football.
Can’t bring myself to continue to be happy with the CCLC when they do not honour the original club charter, particularly as they have not supported the bowlers( particularly blind/vision impaired) with a club supported alternative.
council needs replacing for not thinking about the community when this books clubs should stay more making Gosford unaffordable by shutting community places like Gosford bowls club so sad maybe council should put there houses up for lease to make them feel this pain like we feel
How does this council work? Do they represent the community? Or are they desperate to scrape back some of the money they’ve spent on dodgy contracts to non-local businesses? I’m disgusted by their blatant disregard for apparently even understanding what the definition of the word council is… much room for improvement is the only positive way to view this. Interesting that the Minister for Planning and the NSW Governor needed to okay this reclassification; but honestly doubt it’s legally valid, it’s definitely not morally right