For decades ideas for the revitalisation of the Gosford waterfront have been floated and ultimately rejected, but Central Coast Council is determined that now is the time to act and put a preferred concept out for public comment.
It is a mammoth plan stretching along the entire waterfront from the railway line to beyond the Sailing Club and includes a mix of commercial, retail and accommodation options, along with a ferry terminal, outdoor recreational areas and even an amphitheatre.
Endorsed at the September 27 meeting, the plan also features: a public building (with a purpose yet to be identified); multi-storey buildings jutting into Brisbane Water to house residences, retail, and dry boat storage; a ferry terminal over by the rail bridge; a walkway atop a seawall encircling the development; a pedestrian bridge over Dane Dr for access from Leagues Club Park to the waterfront; and an expanded water playground outside Gosford Pool.
The plan also includes a conference hall, a boutique hotel on the waterfront and another hotel on the former site of the Gosford Bowling Club.
Council has resolved to commence community engagement to inform development of a draft Gosford Waterfront Masterplan and seek NSW Government funding to progress the project.
Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said the time is right to make Gosford an iconic waterfront city, better connecting Sydney to the Central Coast and enhancing opportunities for people to live and work in the region.
“Revitalisation of the Gosford waterfront is the Central Coast’s key enabling project; it reimagines the waterfront as not only a major opportunity for the city’s renewal, but a chance for Gosford City to join the great waterfronts of the world,” he said.
““The waterfront is a place for people.
“With this development it will become a vibrant urban foreshore with entertainment, maritime services, tourism and residential living, and a net increase in the public domain.
“From every angle, whether it be looking at the water, or looking back toward the CBD, the waterfront precinct will bring Gosford together through growing residency, and visitor attractions stimulating economic and job growth.”
Council Chief Executive Officer, David Farmer, said as Council moves forward with its financial recovery, there is a sense of confidence and positivity from government and business in partnering with Council in the vision for Gosford as a whole.
He said with a new university campus announced for the city, the major redevelopment of Gosford Hospital, plans to build a vertical TAFE in Mann St and several major government and non-government projects proposed to revitalise the city centre approved or working their way through the planning process, now is the time to go forward.
Farmer acknowledged that there have been several previous abortive attempts to come up with a plan for the waterfront.
“If it’s worth doing you have to just press on,” he said.
“I have been involved in a number of projects which have had false starts in the past.
“If you learn from what happened in the past eventually you can be successful.
“I am confident we have a proposal here that can be delivered, is viable and will make significant difference not just to Gosford but the entire Central Coast.”
Farmer said with huge amounts of infrastructure required, the State Government would be best placed to deliver the plan and Council is in talks with both major parties with a state election looming.
“The Six Cities plan identifies that each city will have innovative district and obviously on the Central Coast that needs to be Gosford,” he said.
“To achieve maximise success we need to connect the CBD to the waterfront in an elegant way.
“Success will remain limited unless they are successfully connected – only then will Gosford see its full potential realised.”
Hart said Council has been working with key stakeholders, including Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council, the Greater Cities Commission, TAFE and the University of Newcastle, to gauge their interest and understand their requirements.
“Council will not be funding or delivering the key elements of the waterfront renewal,” he said.
“Instead, Council seeks support for delivery of the project by a dedicated NSW Government development corporation, as occurred at Honeysuckle in Newcastle and Barangaroo in Sydney.
“This announcement is the next step in this exciting vision.
“Council will be consulting with the community and other stakeholders to identify how the concept plan should be refined to create a detailed masterplan.”
Terry Collins
Excellent idea as it is for the community at large and a new tourism spot for all to enjoy.
Very interesting, looks great. What next?
The Gosford waterfront is a rough diamond waiting to polished…I like concept of this proposal…however I think the project is big enough to have an international competition for a design that encompasses the waterfront from the bridge to the sailing club (as shown)
What a horrible sight!
Please do not vote for this
I can’t see 08 (parking) on this map. The big new playground already suffers from the lack of parking. It is blind wishful thinking to believe that we are returning to the 60’s when people walked everywhere. So in essence these plans are expensive, exclusive areas for those who get to choose to live on top of our waterfront water.
This is better than some previous plans but it still excludes all the residents from outside the CBD from coming in. Basically we will only come for events at the stadium. There must be parking, if you want this to be an inclusive space comparable to other waterfront communities up and down the coast.
There is so much infrastructure that has to be at least patched let alone repaired properly in the Gosford region that the money that this next white elephant could be spent on. They should lease it to a developer and let them do the spending.
If they can’t find a developer to take it on, then it’s obviously not worth doing as the ROI isn’t there.
About time Gosford is seen for what great potential it has. It could be the most amazing place to live, but it most definitely needs an overhaul.
This waterfront idea will make ally he difference for this destination.
So much yes !!
Looks fantastic, just need some more parking.
Gosford needs this to go ahead, it’s been neglected for so long.
Let’s get it started.
Not a bad idea but the pool needs to be built into it, the pool has such a big community around it who rely on it everyday. Swimming, water polo and just a great time at the pool on a hot day and nothing not even thought about it to upgrade and incorporate the pool. Very not happy!