State Government welcomes social housing project

The State Government has announced that work has started on a 21-unit social housing project at 18 Macleay Ave, Woy Woy, after the issue of a construction certificate by Central Coast Council in December.

"The Government has invested $4.8 million into the project," said State Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch.

The development, being built by community housing provider Pacific Link Housing, was also supported by Australian Government agency Housing Australia.

The project has been more than five years in the making, with it first made public when Central Coast Council heard a rezoning application from Pacific Link Housing in July 2021.

Construction is expected to be complete by August-next year.

Ms Tesch said the development would have "a high-quality, modern mix of 12 social and nine affordable units and villas, featuring communal areas and shared gardens".

"This boost to the social and affordable housing stock is a welcome addition."

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Ms Rose Jackson said the development was designed to meet the needs of its future community, and was "within walking distance of parks, schools, childcare and public transport, providing convenient access to everyday essentials and services".

The development is 2.3km from the railway station and shops at Woy Woy, 1.9km walking distance to the nearest public school at Woy Woy South and 400m from St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School.

It is about 1.4km from the nearest childcare centre at the Peninsula Community Centre.

A bus service to Woy Woy stops around the corner in Nambucca Dr, about 150m away.

The site backs onto the Nambucca Dr playground and Burrawang bushland reserve.

Ms Jackson said: "Addressing the housing crisis requires all levels of government to work together, and this Woy Woy project shows exactly what can be achieved when we partner to deliver more homes where they are needed most."

The development was "ensuring the area remains a vibrant and inclusive community where locals, key workers and seniors can find a home that suits their needs", she said.

"We cannot solve homelessness without more homes and that's why we are on a mission to transform underutilised land into places people in need can call home and that's exactly what we're doing here in Woy Woy."

SOURCE:

Media release, 6 Mar 2026

Rose Jackson, Minister for Housing and Homelessness

High rise for Woy Woy motion narrowly defeated

A motion to investigate building high-rise apartments in Woy Woy has been narrowly defeated in Central Coast Council's Environment and Planning Committee.

A planning staff report to the committee on Tuesday, March 3, had recommended the Council investigate Woy Woy being designated as an "Accelerated Transport Oriented Development Precinct".

The designation would allow high-rise development of greater than six storeys within 1200 metres of Woy Woy station, the report stated.

The report was prepared following a request from the Business NSW Integrated Chamber for Council to seek to upgrade Woy Woy's current Transport Oriented Development program.

The report recommended: "That the Committee recommends to Council writes to the Secretary of the Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure expressing interest in setting up a joint process with the Department and Council to investigate options for Woy Woy to be included as an Accelerated Precinct."

Mayor Cr Doug Eaton moved the recommendation, with deputy mayor Cr John Mouland seconding it.

The motion was defeated 3-2 with Cr Jane Smith, Cr Margot Castles and Cr Sharon Walsh voting against it.

The report stated: "The NSW Government is investing $520 million in the Accelerated Precincts for community infrastructure, such as critical road upgrades, active transport links and good quality public open spaces.

"Such funding would be welcomed by the Central Coast precincts including Woy Woy where lack of infrastructure (eg roads, drainage) restricts development potential."

However, despite making the recommendation, the report stated: "Potential for any of the Central Coast precincts to be reclassified is likely to be low.

"While Council staff can initiate discussions as to the potential for Woy Woy to be reclassified, it is likely that the other centres on the Central Coast (Gosford, Tuggerah and Wyong) exhibit less constraints and are also suitable for reclassification to accelerate their growth."

Reclassification was unlikely because the master-planning and rezoning for the accelerated precincts had been completed, and the associated policy changes were only applicable until November 30 next year, it said.

"It is uncertain as to whether any of the Central Coast Precincts are capable and/or suitable to deliver the high-rise housing anticipated for the Accelerated Precincts, and a State-Led Rezoning is currently underway for Gosford."

There are currently eight accelerated precincts in Sydney, which were selected from 305 stations in Sydney, the Illawarra, the Hunter and the Central Coast.

The report stated: "Woy Woy was not originally chosen as one of the 31 well-located transport stations included as a Transport-Oriented Development precinct.

"Woy Woy was added to the program after local business advocacy and Departmental consultation with Council."

As part of the program, residential apartment buildings may be built in all residential zones within 400m of Woy Woy railway station.

Residential apartment buildings and shop-top housing may be built in local and commercial centres within 400m of the station.

Maximum building height for residential flat buildings is 22 metres (about six storeys) and 24 metres for buildings containing shop top housing.

The floor space ratio can be up to 2.5:1.

The minimum lot width is 21 metres but there is no minimum lot size.

Development in the local centre zones must consider active street frontages of buildings at the ground floor.

Two per cent of a development must be affordable housing.

SOURCE:

Environment and Planning item 2.8, 3 Mar 2026

Central Coast Council