The new university campus for the Central Coast will be located at 299-309 Mann Street in Gosford, after being selected by the NSW Government.
It will be built on a large parcel of land including the former Mitre 10 store on the corner of Mann St and Beane St.
The campus will form the heart of the Central Coast’s own Education and Employment Precinct, located in an area once featuring one of the busiest homeware sites on the Coast.
In the days before major outlets like Bunnings appeared, the store was a mecca for home reno builders.
Times change, and this area of Mann St was looking rundown and neglected. It received a proverbial kick in the guts when the six tower apartment complex 500m north was rejected a second time by the Joint Regional Planning Panel.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the 4650sqm site was perfectly situated in the heart of Gosford, adjacent to the train line and nearby Gosford Hospital and the new Medical School.
Major role in revitalising centre
“The Education and Employment Precinct will play a major role in revitalising the Gosford City Centre, with a major educational facility as a centrepiece supporting new opportunities for learning and jobs,” Mr Crouch said.
“The development of the Precinct will also be a catalyst more private sector investment in Gosford, bringing a new culture to the region that encourages post-school learning.
“Gosford has an increasingly bright future and this Precinct is part of the NSW Government’s aim to transform the City Centre into a fantastic place to live, work and raise a family.”
Just 30% of Central Coast residents aged 18 to 24 attend TAFE or university, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 46%. Around two-thirds of the Central Coast’s undergraduate university students travel outside the region for their studies.
Mr Crouch said the NSW Government was currently seeking a world-class university partner to develop the campus in the Education and Employment Precinct.
“The NSW Government is currently seeking a globally-recognised university that is willing to play a part in further activating the Gosford City Centre and wider Central Coast region,” Mr Crouch said.
Delivering an Education and Employment Precinct at Gosford is one of the NSW Government’s key priorities for the Central Coast, to create new jobs, businesses and opportunities in the fast-growing region.
