In your article, “Gosford’s battlefield” (22/9/16), you say that “The NSW Government’s plan for the Central Coast has clearly positioned Gosford as the region’s capital”, but there are several points in this connection that can be rightly questioned.
Firstly, the Plan is only a Draft Plan, and wiser heads might yet prevail when we see the Plan in its final form [plan has been adopted by NSW Government, ed]. Secondly, the reasons given in the Draft Plan document for choosing Gosford are so fatuous that it is difficult to believe they are put forward seriously. Thirdly, Gosford is badly located for a regional centre, has relatively poor extraregional access, has difficult topography for signifi cant development and has limited links to the region’s main attractions along the coastline. Fourthly, the bulk of the population is in Budgewoi, The Entrance and Terrigal/ Kincumber, and Gosford no longer serves the central purpose that it did when Gosford station was the transport node for the area. Fifthly, Gosford is a mess, and what we need is a new capital, preferably at Tuggerah, where we are not hampered by the straightjacket of an obsolete past. As you point out elsewhere, Gosford is already a secondary concern for the Central Coast Council, and, when the new councillors are elected next year, Gosford’s three representatives will rightly be hard-pressed to make a case for preference to the nine coastal councillors who will hold all the power in their hands. If they are going to rely on the designation in the Regional Plan, they will be leaning on a very weak straw indeed.
If any of my students had ever handed in such a feeble effort they’d have received a “Fail” or, at best, an “Incomplete,” and I can see no reason why anybody should take it seriously. Finally, the constant harping on the “iconic” character of the Gosford waterfront belies the reality of the situation. Dogged defenders of the area’s supposed virtues should take off their rose coloured glasses and look at the reality.
Email, Sep 25, 2016 Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy