The Central Coast community, council and development industry will benefit from simplified planning rules after the finalisation of the region’s new Local Environmental Plan (LEP).
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Adam Crouch said the new LEP combines planning guidelines from the former Gosford and Wyong council areas into one comprehensive rulebook.
“The Central Coast has been operating under five different planning documents since Gosford and Wyong were amalgamated in 2016, each with separate controls,” Mr Crouch said.
Offically called the Central Coast Local Environmental Plan 2022 (CCLEP 2022), it was placed on the NSW Legislation website on Friday, June 24 after the State Government accepted the council’s document.
It will come into effect on 1 August 1, 2022.
The consolidated Central Coast Development Control Plan 2022 (CCDCP 2022) will come into force on the same date.
The CCLEP and CCDCP will be live on Council’s website from Monday June 27.
The CCLEP applies to about 95 percent of the LGA, with the remaining land either the Gosford City Centre or “deferred land” under the CCLEP, which is subject to further assessment of its environmental values.
The next stage of updating the CCLEP will be an environmental lands review, which will seek to apply contemporary land use zones to these deferred lands, Council said.
These proposed changes are expected to be publicly exhibited before the end of 2022.
Development applications lodged between 24 June and 1 August 2022 will be subject to the provisions of existing planning controls, although such applications must set out compliance with the provisions of CCLEP 2022, even if they are lodged prior to 1 August 2022, given that the adoption of CCLEP 2022 is imminent and certain, Council said.
Administrator Rik Hart said the consolidated LEP will be supported by the updated DCP that sets out detailed planning and design guidelines for the region, such as building standards and environmental requirements.
“Community input played an important role in reaching these two milestones, after four years of extensive consultation resulting in 750 public submissions from agencies, residents and Councillors,” Mr Hart said.
“Having one LEP and one DCP puts us on a solid pathway to encourage new investment, jobs, and quality housing and infrastructure for our growing population.”
The Central Coast LEP and DCP are also known as the ‘Consolidated LEP and DCP’ and have been a priority project to strengthen the merger of the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire Councils, since becoming the Central Coast Council in May 2016.
The project was focussed on the consolidation and alignment of existing LEP/DCP controls.
The next step is to produce a Comprehensive LEP and DCP for the Central Coast.
Council says that will require further strategy and evidence-based work to be conducted.
“The Consolidated LEP and DCP provides the foundation for the next phase of strategic planning work to be undertaken,” Council said.
