[Special Report] The waterfront and Kibble Park may grab all the headlines, but a new, $500m-plus precinct is emerging at the northern end of the Gosford city centre.
Over half a billion dollars’ worth of property investment has been undertaken between Faunce St, Gosford and Dwyer St, North Gosford since 2014, and that includes at least 1,565 residential dwellings,
mostly home units.
The massive Gosford Hospital redevelopment appears to be the impetus for the increasing volume of new residential developments coming online between the traditional CBD and Wyoming.
The hills of North Gosford, once characterised by single dwellings on large and leafy sloping blocks, are being transformed into a medium density neighbourhood.
Prospective residential buyers are being sold a location within the Gosford City Centre, and within close proximity, from a few hundred metres to well over 1km, to the Gosford Train Station and bus interchange.
This precinct starts at the northern edge of the B4 Mixed Use zone, that characterises the city centre, and moves along the south-north spines of Mann St, Watt St and Hill St, into the R1 General Residential zone.
Gosford public hospital is complemented by the refurbished and expanding Gosford Private Hospital on the other side of Henry Parry Dve, and Gosford Public School, Henry Kendall High School and Gosford High School are within walking distance.
Elevation gives views of the city centre across to the waterfront to the south, to Rumbalara Reserve and Mount Mouat to the south and east, and Presidents Hill to the south west.
There are very few recognised heritage items listed in the area, making demolition of existing real estate stock easier than areas closer to the waterfront.
The rush north appears to coincide with the introduction of bonus provisions for developers by the former Gosford Council in 2014, which gave an attractive 30 per cent height bonus and additional floor space to kick start the regeneration of Gosford City.
The two dominant zones are the B4 mixed use, which provides a transitional area between Faunce St and Etna St.
Several mega-developments are in the pipeline along Mann St, between Faunce and Etna Sts, with developers taking advantage of the absence of street setbacks to maximise their yields.
Objectives of the B4 zone include integrating business, office, residential and retail space, to maximise public transport and encourage walking and cycling.
Another objective is to encourage a diverse and compatible range of activities, including commercial and retail development, cultural and entertainment facilities, tourism, leisure and recreation facilities, social, education and health services, and higher density residential development.
Finally, the emerging northern development corridor moves into the R1 General Residential zone characterised by basement parking, high rise and multi-tower flat developments intended to fringe the city without jeopardising its surrounding green escarpments and iconic waterfront.
Several enormous proposals book-end the emerging northern precinct of the city. At the northern extreme is the proposed $138m six tower mixed use development that will traverse Mann St on the intersection of Dwyer St, in North Gosford.
The biggest emerging developments at the southern end of the precinct are the $83m mixed use development at 280, 290 and 300 Mann St, that will include over 200 residential units and over 700 square metres of commercial space.
On the other side of Mann St, the already approved $34m Ikon Tower and its yet-to-be-approved twin, the $57m Horizon building, will include 264 home units.
In this, the third part of Coast Community News’ series on the redevelopment of Gosford City, we take a tour of the biggest proposals in the emerging northern precinct.
372-374 Mann St, 393 to 397 Mann St, 35-37 Dwyer, 41A Dwyer and 76 Hills St, North Gosford DA49565/2016
Owned by: Kenneth George Schmidt
Value: $137.9m
The Joint Regional Planning Panel will consider this five tower mixed use development, consisting of shop top housing, café, restaurant and commercial space, that will traverse Mann St on its intersection with Dwyer St, and cover the whole Dwyer St frontage, east to Hills St.
The application was lodged in March 2016. The site has been referred to, in a Statement of Environmental Effects submitted in support of the proposed development, as the northern gateway to the city centre.
The proposal comprises five towers, with two on the eastern side of Mann St and three on the western side.
The two main towers which will abut Mann St, comprise of commercial and retail uses on the ground floor with residential units above.
The remaining towers are residential-only, comprising one and two story
townhouses, apartments and penthouses.
Tower One, zoned R1 and B4, will include 49 units, and will be 57.3 metres high.
Tower Two, zoned B4 for mixed use, has 107 units, café and commercial tenancies and is 74.6 metres high.
Tower Three, zoned B4 has 69 units and commercial tenancies along Mann Stand is 74 metres high.
Tower four, zoned B4 has 48 units and is 44 metres high.
Tower five, zoned B4, has 127 units and is 39 metres high.
The total number of units proposed is 400, and 540 square metres of commercial and retail floor space.
The proposal has recently been advertised, garnering a high number of submissions from the community.
The DA is currently being assessed by Central Coast Council staff and no date has been set for a JRPP hearing.
280, 290 and 300 Mann St, Gosford DA49556/2016 Owned by: Karedis Nominees Pty Ltd Value: $83.3m
This mixed-use development will create 219 residential units and 725 square metres of retail.
It was approved by the JRPP in September 2017, and the two-year consent expires in September 2019, which means commencement will need to be achieved before that date.
The site is located on the western side of Mann St, between Faunce and Etna Sts with a 122.23 metre frontage to Mann St.
It falls to the rear boundary with the Great Northern Railway Line.
The project will see the construction of two mixed-use buildings comprising a 24-storey tower (Building A) and a four-storey building (Building B), including 219 apartments (47 adaptable).
There will be 51 one bedroom units and 166 two bedroom units, a total gross floor area of 27,820 square metres. Five parking levels will be accessed from Mann St for 336 car parking spaces.
The Horizon Building, 321 to 325 Mann St, Gosford DA49578/2016 Owned by: Mann Street Enterprises Trust Value: $57.2m
The Joint Regional Planning Panel will have to determine this commercial and shop top housing application on the intersection of Mann and Etna Sts (eastern side of Mann).
The proposal is for the construction of a 24-storey building to accommodate commercial space with shop top housing. The built form will be a single tower over a four-storey podium base and will include four levels of car parking integrated into the podium, with one level partly underground, two levels of commercial tenancies, 20 levels of one, two and three bedroom apartments, 116 apartments in total. Gosford train station is within 400 metres walking distance.
The developer wants to include 36 one-bedroom apartments, 18 of which will be adaptable, 42 two-bedroom apartments and 38 with three bedrooms. The development would also include a communal open space area on level four, with a swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms, seating, barbecues and significant landscaping. The DA is currently being assessed by Central Coast Council staff with no date set for a referral to the JRPP.
51 to 55B Etna St and 64 Beane St, Gosford DA49577/2016 Owned by: Robvic Pty Ltd Value: $44.16m
This application was for a two-tower residential flat development with 148 units. It was lodged in April, 2016, for approval by the Joint Regional Planning Panel, but withdrawn by the applicant in March, 2017.
The proposal was to build a variety of housing types including six studio units, 42 one-bedroom units, 50 two-bedroom units, 37 three bedroom units, six one bedroom townhouses, seven three-bedroom townhouses, and to retain one existing three-bedroom house.
Car parking would be provided for 222 spaces for the flat buildings and 18 for the townhouses.
Ikon Tower, 333-337 Mann St, Gosford DA49489/2016 Owned by: Mann St Trust Value: $34.2m
This project was approved, with a deferred commencement date, by the Joint Regional Planning Panel, in December, 2016. Located on the corner of Mann and Etna Sts, the area of the site is 1,778 square metres with a straight frontage to Etna St, and a 25 metre frontage to Mann St, with an additional rounded frontage of around 26 metres towards the intersection of both streets.
It is in the B4 mixed-use zone that is part of the Gosford City Centre. A 21-storey building will include a single tower over a podium base, with four levels of car parking integrated into the podium, with one level partly underground, three levels of commercial tenancies, and 17 levels of residential apartments, totalling 102 units.
The subject site is described in the application as a key corner location with a design that strives for an innovative and interesting built form, to anchor and strengthen the corner for the 16-storey slender tower, with a highly articulated façade over the 4-5 storey podium. It will tower a total of 71 metres above street level, on the corner of Etna and Mann Sts.
Consent was granted on December 15, 2016, so commencement will be required by December, 2018, or the consent will lapse.
7 to 11 Bent St, Gosford DA49534/2016 Owned by: Albany Investments Pty Ltd Value: $28.23m
This development application was amended following a JRPP decision that is was not a regionally significant development. In recent months, an amended proposal has been submitted to Central Coast Council for 101 residential units, 135 car spaces across three basement levels, accessed from Bent St.
The building will have a pool and gym located on a lower ground floor. The project is undergoing assessment by Council staff.
43-45 Beane St and 2 Keevers La DA46238/2014 Owned by: W H Chai Value: $25.8m
Consent was granted by the Joint Regional Planning Panel for a commercial and residential development in Beane St on August 6, 2015.
The proposal was for an 18-level building with three basement levels. The applicant has applied for and been granted a 12-month extension on the development.
There is currently very little information in the public domain about its form.
34-44 Hills St, known as Number 44 Hills St, North Gosford DA49558/2016 Owned by Beraldo Design Value: $25.3m
The Joint Regional Planning Panel deferred its decision on this development in March, 2017. The original proposal was for twin residential flat buildings, including 101 units, but following the JRPP feedback, this was reduced to two buildings with a total of 85 units.
The application was lodged on March 31, 2016, but was re-advertised by Central Coast Council from October 26 to November 16, 2017. Building A would be the southern-most and would be nine storeys high with 67 apartments and 82 car spaces. The apartments would comprise of 27 with one bedroom, 33 with two bedrooms and seven three bedroom dwellings.
Building B would be the northernmost and was originally intended to be eight storeys high, with 34 apartments and 43 car spaces, but was amended to seven storeys.
When this project was assessed by the JRPP in March, 2017, it agreed to defer its determination. “The façade composition, materials, colours, fenestration and details lacked cohesion and warranted review and change. “The proposal, as submitted, was not considered to exhibit design excellence.
“However, with amendments and refinement, including to the height, the panel was of the view that this may be achievable, given that the general site planning was acceptable.” The applicant was invited to submit an amended proposal for consideration by Council staff and then the panel.
Matters to be addressed were: removal of the top level of the northern building; and, a fresh and independent review of the façade composition.
One panel member stated that she believed the proposal should have been refused. The proposal was referred to Central Coast Council’s engineering department in February
7-11 Range Rd and 23-27 Ormond St, North Gosford DA46233/2014 Owned by Design Cubicle Pty Ltd Value: $19.6m
This DA for four residential flat buildings was lodged in August, 2014, and approved by Gosford Council in November, 2015.
No construction certificate was ever granted and the consent has lapsed. A new DA would need to be lodged with Central Coast Council and the approval process undertaken for any development to take place on this site.
5 to 13 and 13A Ormond St, North Gosford DA46123/2014 Owned by: Barker Ryan and Stewart Pty Ltd Value: $17.4m
This 87-unit residential development received consent from the former Gosford Council on May 29, 2015. The units were to be built over eight storeys. The development was granted a two-year consent at the time so that consent has now lapsed.
277-279 Mann St, Gosford DA46149/2014 Owned by: Vanovac Tuon Architects Value: $13.6m
This residential flat building consists of 57 units in Mann St and is called Gosford Central. The development was originally approved by Gosford Council in December, 2014, with 52 units and ground floor commercial space.
It was successfully amended in 2016 to include seven additional two-bedroom units and eight additional car spaces. At that time the cost of construction was updated from $12 million to $13.6 million.
Consent was given for demolition of existing structures in December, 2016.
18-22 Range Rd, North Gosford DA46919/2014 Owned by: Cuevas and Associates Value: $13.1m
This Range Rd development takes in five traditional blocks and consists of a 57-unit residential flat building. The application was lodged in December, 2014, and was approved by Gosford Council on May 2015.
The proposal was for five levels of residential apartments and two levels of basement car parking. The applicant has applied for and been granted, a 12 month extension on this development.
66 to 70 Hills St, North Gosford DA46224/2014 Owned by: Special Land Development Pty Ltd Value: $12.5m
This development is for 48 flats over seven storeys. It was approved in July, 2016 and construction is complete.
73-75 Hills St, North Gosford DA49522/2016 Owned by: CM Eltania Value: $10m
This application for a 50-unit residential flat building was lodged in March, 2016, and approved in May, 2017. It will be built on two lots, both of which were previously occupied by single dwellings, with a combined area of 1,379.6 square metres.
The accommodation mix is seven one-bedroom apartments, 39 two-bedroom apartments and seven three bedroom apartments, all with balconies or terraces.
This development includes basement car parking across two levels for 76 cars, eight visitors, four motorcycles and 25 bicycles. Lift access is provided to the basement and there is a single vehicular entrance from the southern boundary. A landscaped communal area will be available on the roof level.
A construction certificate has not yet been issued and consent will lapse in May, 2019.
47 Hills St, North Gosford DA46176/2014 Owned by: PS Graham and Associates Value: $9m
This eight-storey residential flat building includes 28 units. The developer successfully applied for a strata subdivision at the time of applying for Council consent to construct the building. The building includes fi ve one-bedroom units, three of which are accessible, 18 two bedroom units, and five with three bedrooms.
The site includes 42 resident car spaces, but visitors will need to use vacant street parking
69 to 71 Hills St, North Gosford DA46236/2014 Owned by: Elite Property Developments Central Coast Pty Ltd Value: $8.6m
This application was originally for a residential flat building consisting of 36 units and three ‘SOHO’ (small office, home office) units, which was lodged in August, 2014, and approved in May, 2015. In August, 2015, an application for amendments was submitted which reconfigured the design to delete the three ground floor offices, delete three of the one-bedroom apartments and five of the three-bedroom apartments.
Floor plans were then reconfigured to take the total number of units from 39 to 48, all being two-bedroom units, and basement car parking was expanded to accommodate 76 cars instead of 58. The application was approved by the CEO of the former Gosford Council shortly before the Council was dismissed in May, 2015.
Consent for the second part of the development was given in March, 2016. The development consent was for five years, so the developer has until May, 2019, to commence the project.
9 Burrabil Ave, North Gosford DA47372/2015 Owned by: Healthecare Properties Pty Ltd Value: $7.5m
Additions and alterations to the existing private hospital were approved by the Joint Regional Planning Panel in August, 2015. The proposal was to modify a former development consent to provide for an additional medical fl oor level, to provide for a 20-bed orthopaedic ward and expansion of a Central Sterile Services Department.
The original consent, which was approved in August, 2015, included construction of basement car parking for 21 spaces, expansion of day surgery reception and theatre on level 1, and a cancer care unit on Level 2, internal alterations of existing hospital levels 1 to 3, day surgery, maternity ward and medical ward.
The proponent was required to pay contributions totalling $324,185 across contribution plans for the embellishment of recreational facilities, roadworks, community facilities and environmental protection.
226 Gertrude St, North Gosford DA46267/2014 Owned by: Gertrude Developments Pty Ltd Value: $4.8m
This 21-unit residential flat building sits on the northernmost boundary of the area considered part of Gosford’s CBD. The development application was lodged in December, 2015, and was approved in September, 2015. The consent was for five years and the project was well under construction.
19 Range Rd, North Gosford DA46053/2014 Owned by: Lucky 88 Investments Pty Ltd Value: $4.6m
The DA for this 12-unit residential flat building was approved in March, 2015. The single block is 778 square metres in size. The developer was granted consent for fi ve years.
Source: Website, Apr 20-24 Gosford DA Tracker, Central Coast Council Media statement, Apr 26 Central Coast Council media Jackie Pearson, journalist