Downtown Gosford has become a construction “hot spot” in NSW, joining Parramatta, Chatswood, Liverpool and Blacktown as key opportunities for developers and investors.
Warnervale and the Lisarow Ourimbah area will be the next areas to undergo massive changes in the 2020s.
And developers have managed to finally beat the restrictive height limits on new buildings imposed by the environmentally driven Central Coast Council which has been battling to keep a lid on Gosford soaring upwards and disrupting views of ridgelines.
Sydney-based developer St Hilliers has gained approval from the Independent Planning Commission for a $150m three tower complex on the site of the old Gosford Public School.
The mixed-use Central Coast Quarter project comprises 295 residential apartments across two towers, a 183-room hotel as well as commercial and retail space on the lower levels.
The 8884sqm site at 32 Mann St opposite the Ray Maher Rugby League field also has frontage on Baker St. The three DKO Architecture-designed towers, between 16 and 17-storeys, or up to 85m in height, will be developed in three stages with completion expected in 2025.
St Hilliers has already constructed the $50m commercial building on the site in 2019, anchored by NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation.
Gosford Public School was demolished in 2014 for the state government to create a business precinct.
In March 2019, Property NSW sold the property to St Hilliers, with the company then building the six-storey office building and first stage of the Central Coast Quarter.
Leading internet site Urban Developer reported that Issues on the latest proposal were raised by council and the community about the design, height, scale and density of three towers, as well as the social and environmental impacts of the project.
Concept plan approved
Chair of the Panel Chris Wilson and fellow Commissioner Wendy Lewin were appointed to consider the state-significant development application to make a determination.
The commissioners said that after careful consideration and a site tour with council and the local interest group they had decided to approve the concept plan.
“Subject to a condition requiring a reduction in the amount of permissible gross floor area in the northern and southern part of the building envelope,” the commissioners said.
The measures will reduce the visual impact, bulk and overshadowing created by the development and expand through-site links while allowing an increase in on-site residential parking, according to the commission.
These amendments are required to ensure that design excellence…and improved environmental and amenity outcomes can be achieved through future development applications.”
The decision means the towers will not be reduced to comply with the 48m height limit set by the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) for Gosford City Centre.
This is seen as a major breakthrough for developers who claim restrictions placed on projects previously were making them unviable.
Local environmentalists claim the buildings will obstruct views in the area and council also disputed the height of the buildings, which are beyond the normal height restrictions.
Meanwhile, Lisarow is becoming the new distribution “hot spot” with final plans revealed for a major warehouse, distribution centre which is already under construction.
The 20m tall building will have a ground floor area of 15,000sm, making it one of the biggest projects on the Coast, costing $19m.
The warehouse is being built by Sydney-based developer Livingstone Properties (NSW) Pty Ltd, which plans to lease out three warehouse units and ancillary offices by the end of the year.
The company is reported to have purchased the former citrus orchard site from the neighboring McCain Foods for $2.5m million in 2017.
The warehouse will include 16 loading docks at the rear of the site accessed via the western side and a heavy vehicle driveway which will be splayed so 19m articulated trucks can turn left onto Railway Cr without encroaching across the centre-line.
The site fronts Railway Cr for a distance of about 185.5m and about 180m along Excelsior St with a total area of 3.16ha, of which the warehouse takes up about 45%.
It will also include 105 parking spaces accessed by another driveway along Railway Cr to the east of the heavy vehicle driveway.
The DA states the warehouse will see 72 additional vehicle movements during the morning and evening peak, with about 20% cent of these being heavy vehicles.
“Once completed, the development will increase the availability of modern, architecturally designed warehousing floor area in the Lisarow locality,” the DA states.
The warehouse units are being leased through Raine&Horne Commercial at Erina.
Leasing agent Brad Rogers told media it was the second project the Sydney-based developer had done on the Central Coast after refurbishing the former Krone building at the corner of Enterprise Drv and Wyong Rd.
And finally, the long discussed Warnervale town centre is undergoing public comment with Member for Wyong and Shadow Minister for the Coast David Harris launching an online survey into community expectations for the project.
Mr Harris said he believed residents should have the opportunity to have their say on what should be included in the town centre, which amazingly has been discussed for the past 45 years in various guises.
