Central Coast Council has completed its draft Greater Warnervale Structure Plan which is expected to go on public exhibition from January to March 2023.
It’s a land-use strategy for future planning through to 2041 with a long-term vision and principles to guide development in the Greater Warnervale area encompassing Jilliby, Halloran, Warnervale, Wallarah, Woongarrah, Hamlyn Terrace, Wadalba and parts of Charmhaven, Kanwal, Wyongah, Tuggerawong, Tacoma and Wyong.
Greater Warnervale is now home to about 21,000 residents and 7,000 homes and it is expected by 2041 there will be an additional 35,000 residents and 12,000 dwellings, which is about a third of the overall future housing supply for the Central Coast.
The Plan also considers providing enough employment land for an additional 8,500 jobs to improve the local economy and jobs close to home.
The aim is to ensure orderly development of land with short, medium and long-term progress with recreational improvements such as playgrounds, sportsgrounds, shared pathways as well as promoting natural features including waterfront areas, public reserves and wildlife corridors.
Among the long list of actions set out by Council in the Plan is a range of proposals to Transport for NSW for improvements along Sparks Rd/Pacific Highway; to advocate for a Food Innovation Centre within the Greater Warnervale area; to improve walking and cycling networks and ensure they are incorporated in subdivision designs.
Sporting and community facilities will be bolstered with plans for a regional playspace, a new sports ground in the southern area; an aquatic/leisure centre with multi-purpose community facility; upgrade and expansion of sports complexes at Woongarrah, Wadalba and Warnervale Oval; a new community facility at Wadalba; and a park in Peony Pl, Hamlyn Terrace.
The Plan also considers boundaries for biodiversity corridors throughout the area with a suggestion they should be a minimum of 50m to 100m wide and Council will liaise with private landowners to encourage conservation opportunities.
Council’s Director for Environment and Planning, Alice Howe, said at Council’s Tuesday meeting that the plan showed anticipated staging of growth.
“Short-term development is focussed around Central Coast Airport, the employment precinct and existing residential areas with medium-term development at Charmhaven and Kanwal and expansion of housing in Wallarah and Woongarrah to occur later,” she said.
There are 10 precincts in the Plan for more localised future rezoning and planning investigations.
Precinct 1 is Wyong Employment Zone including Central Coast Airport, large areas reserved for biodiversity and a small amount of rural-residential land west of the M1 motorway.
Precinct 2 is Warnervale Village surrounding the railway station where medium and low-density housing is planned, along with educational and recreational land uses.
Regional commercial and recreational uses planned for the western portion of Precinct 2 will rely on the future Warnervale Link Road to connect through to Wyong.
Upgrade of the railway crossing on Warnervale Rd is an important planning issue as it is increasingly busy and prone to flooding.
Precinct 3 is Wallarah Residential, a greenfield release area between the Wyong Employment Zone and the railway, and includes large-lot residential around Bruce Cres where a change is proposed to increase low-density housing development.
Precinct 4 is Warnervale Town Centre which was initially intended to provide key commercial, civic and community services for locals and a new train station.
Although the station is no longer in future plans by Transport for NSW, development of a smaller commercial centre has already started and housing will occupy the remainder of the land.
Proposed outcomes for this precinct include a traditional shopping main street with connections to the residential Hill Top Park and a shared path network to the Wyong Employment Zone, Lake Haven and Wadalba commercial and retail centres.
Predominantly residential areas – Precincts 5 to 8 – are Wadalba, Hamlyn Terrace Residential, Woongarrah and Wadalba East.
The medical Precinct 9 incorporates Wyong Hospital and health services as well as seniors living and retirement housing.
Precinct 10 is Charmhaven West, a large-lot residential and industrial area, with plans for more employment uses and possibly an aged care sector.
Sue Murray