A 29 hectare property at Mt Elliot that is surrounded by the Coastal Open Space System (COSS) is up for sale but Central Coast Council will not spend COSS money to buy it.
The property was described as being of high importance for the ongoing integrity of COSS in a report to councillors at the March 25 ordinary meeting.
“In particular, purchase of this property by Council will help to ensure preservation of the ridgeline of outstanding scenic beauty that runs between the coast itself and the Lisarow valley,” the report said.
Despite that, councillors voted 8-7 against buying the land, located at 2 Toomeys Rd.
The private property is on the market for an estimated $1.75M-$1.85M plus purchase costs.
Councillors were given a confidential report on what sort of offer Council could make.
A reserve set up for strategic land acquisitions by the former Gosford Council currently has $7.3M in it.
But Councillor Doug Eaton told the meeting he did not believe it was a good investment, saying there was no environmental reason to the buy the property as environment land is already protected.
Councillor Jane Smith talked about the importance of COSS land.
She said the former Gosford Council adopted it as a strategy in 1984 with the aim of protecting biodiversity and the ridgelines around Gosford and the funds were protected to be used for COSS.
She said it would be almost negligent not to use the funds for the purpose they were there for.
Councillor Belinda Neal said COSS was a matter of great pride of the former Gosford Council and the funds were set aside for exactly this purpose.
Councillor John Mouland asked what additional protections Council would have if it bought the land.
Director Jamie Loader said it would mean Council would have control of the land.
Mouland asked what other project would miss out “if we spend the money here” but the question wasn’t answered.
Smith asked if the land could be used for biodiversity credits and the Director said it was possible; the council had not had the chance to go through that process.
Independents Smith and Corinne Lamont and the five Labor councillors voted to buy the land (7) while the five Liberals and three Team Central Coast councillors (8) voted against.
The property is an elevated lot of 28.83 hectares of mostly heavily forested land which is prospectively zoned as a mix of C2 (Environmental Conservation) and C3 (Environmental Management) under currently proposed amendments to the Central Coast Local Environment Plan 2022.
It contains a five-bedroom house with “substantial garaging and various other improvements on the land”, the report said.
Council said the internal area of the dwelling was about 300 square metres and it would be “eminently” rentable.
It has been trying to buy the land for more than a decade with it being in the top five lots of interest, according to Council’s Natural Assets and Biodiversity Team.
These initiatives have included negotiations with the owners to purchase all of the site in 2011 which ended inconclusively.
Separately, there were negotiations with the owners in 2019 to purchase part of the property.
On this second occasion, the inability to obtain subdivision consent proved to be a stumbling block.
“Based on what occurred in 2019, purchase of the whole of the site is considered to be the preferred pathway forward, particularly if a suitable opportunity should arise to purchase via the open market,” the report said.
“This is the situation at the current time.”
The Coastal Open Space System (COSS) Strategy was established and implemented by the former Gosford Council in order to ensure that a strategic network comprising high value conservation land could be preserved in coastal areas of the Central Coast that are otherwise subject to significant urban development pressures.
“The strategic network includes areas of outstanding natural beauty such as the environs of Mount Elliot, which overlooks both the Lisarow valley and the Matcham/Holgate valley,” the report said.
“Funding for land acquisitions as part of COSS has been generated via development contributions that have been received by Central Coast Council and its predecessor in respect of concessional subdivisions (bonus lots) that relate to land that is included in the current round of Deferred Matters amendments to the Central Coast Local Environment Plan.”
Merilyn Vale
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