The great challenges of growth demand attention

Gosford is finally gathering steam. After years of promises, the heart of the Central Coast is coming to life with new buildings rising and a growing sense of momentum.

Multi-storey residential and commercial towers are nearing completion.

A new hotel is set to open soon, and the long-awaited Regional Library is almost ready to welcome visitors.

A campus of the University of Newcastle is also on the way, promising to bring more students, jobs and vibrancy into the city.

Add to that a creative cultural hub in the old National Australia Bank building being developed by The Fun Haus crew, and Gosford is well on its way to becoming the bustling regional capital it was always meant to be.

But as Gosford rises, the rest of the Central Coast faces serious questions about how and where we grow.

Curiously, one of the region’s most beloved council schemes that preserves the character of the region, the Coastal Open Space Scheme, COSS was omitted from the Council’s draft Community Strategic Plan.

Recently, the NSW Land and Environment Court gave the go-ahead to multiple fast food developments at Kariong, despite residents, Council and the Local Planning Panel’s opposing the move.

A large land release west of the M1 at the Old Mardi farm was also approved by the court, sparking concerns about the agricultural nature of our hinterland, increased traffic congestion, service gaps and a lack of coordinated planning.

In Kincumber, Woolworths is pushing ahead with plans to build a supermarket beside a protected wetland. Locals have raised serious concerns about the environmental impact and the precedent it sets.

The Coast is also still recovering from recent wild weather, with Wamberal and North Entrance again showing just how vulnerable parts of our region are to erosion and storm damage.

These events highlight the urgent need for smarter, more resilient development and infrastructure.

Adding to community frustration is Council staff’s push to demolish the existing Gosford Library building in Kibble Park, ignoring calls to repurpose the Trust-listed structure for public use.

In the north at Summerland Point and Gwandalan, residents say that a lack of transparency and community consultation has fuelled their nervousness about a development application for a group home in their suburb.

The Coast’s future is taking shape.

Let’s make sure it’s one built on listening and engaging with the community to create a balanced long-term vision.

David Abrahams – Managing Editor