...

NEWS EXTRA!!
This issue ...

Council lists Peninsula as 'key growth area'

The Woy Woy Peninsula has been listed as one of three "key growth areas" on the Central Coast in a document issued last week by Central Coast Council.

Releasing the "Key Enabling Projects" document last Thursday, May 28, mayor Cr Lawrie McKinna called on the government to "invest in the infrastructure needed to support the Coast's future growth".

On the same day, the NSW Government announced the latest round of its Low-Cost Loan program for infrastructure projects.

Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch, who has been critical of the Council's failure to take advantage of government grant opportunities in the past, has urged the Council to apply under this program for infrastructure for the Peninsula.

The council document describes Woy Woy as a strategic centre in the Central Coast Regional Plan and included in the NSW Government's Transport- Oriented Development Program.

Supporting the description, the Council decided, its meeting last Tuesday, May 26, to write to the Department of Planning calling for Woy Woy to be considered as an "Accelerated Transport Oriented Development Precinct".

The other two key growth areas listed are Gosford and "Central Lakes District".

The document was released the week after another key council document, the draft Local Strategic Planning Statement was placed on exhibition for public comment.

It projects minimal population growth for the Peninsula over the next 20 years

The "Key Enabling Projects" were previously included as a section within the Local Strategic Planning Statement, but are not included in the new draft.

The section previously implied a population growth of 60 per cent over 20 years, citing the Woy Woy as having a potential for 14,500 new dwellings, and referring only to Woy Woy and not the Peninsula as a whole.

The description of the Key Enabling Projects no longer includes the number of expected new dwellings for Woy Woy, although a figure of 10,000 is retained for Warnervale and 3500 is given for Lake Munmorah.

Woy Woy is described as "a key housing delivery location for the southern Central Coast".

"To realise this potential, enabling infrastructure must keep pace," it states.

Despite this, the draft Local Strategic Planning Statement projects just 0.92 per cent population growth on the Peninsula over the next 20 years.

For the Peninsula, the Key Projects document says: "Council's advocacy focuses on an integrated transport network that improves accessibility and safety, reduces congestion and unlocks well-located homes close to rail lines, jobs and services.

"Priority transport upgrades such as the Rawson Rd railway level crossing and intersection upgrade at Railway St, alongside broader road renewal and active transport investment, are critical to supporting housing growth and sustaining a thriving, well-connected Peninsula community."

However, the only infrastructure project listed for the Peninsula is the Rawson Rd intersection upgrade.

It does not appear to have any other Peninsula infrastructure projects in mind.

For example, it does not include an "active transport" project to which "investment" could be directed.

The council also issued a draft "Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Strategy" last Wednesday, May 27.

The strategy acknowledges the need to "develop strategic cycleway corridors to improve and close gaps in the existing cycling network to destinations including ... Woy Woy".

However, it provides no plan for an active transport network for the Peninsula nor specific projects to implement it.

Records
Current Weather

°

Feels like: °

Wind:

Humidity: %

Rain:

Pressure: Hpa

UV index:

Solar: W/m²