Central Coast Council is inviting the community to have their say on the Urban Spatial Plan which establishes a 20 year strategic framework to tackle the challenges of our growing population.The framework, called the Urban Spatial Plan, aims to deliver the housing diversity, transport improvements, infrastructure upgrades and economic and social vitality required by our community, whilst protecting the Coast’s natural attributes and our quality of life.Council Director, Environment and Planning, Scott Cox said development of the Urban Spatial Plan was an important step in setting a clear direction for growth across the coast in order to support the region’s forecast population growth.“The population of the Central Coast is expected to grow to 415,000 by 2036, with as many as 75,000 new residents living in the region,” Mr Cox said.“The Urban Spatial Plan establishes a framework for how we manage this growth in a balanced and sustainable way, enabling urban growth within existing centres, planned precincts and corridors whilst preserving the coastal lifestyle and environment we value so much.“Our direction for growth promotes Gosford Regional Centre as the central connection point of the many coastal and hinterland centres with a networked transport system that connects the community to the services they need.“It addresses six key initiatives across the region including housing, transport and infrastructure, planning for open space and community and creating a sustainable environment with resilient communities.“It also outlines how we will work with the NSW Government to activate Gosford as the capital of the Central Coast with supporting strategic centres at Woy Woy, Erina, Tuggerah, Wyong and Warnervale and how we will drive the coastal economy through planning for new and innovative industries to choose the coast to be their home and grow regionally competitive tourism destinations across the entire Central Coast,” Mr Cox said.The Urban Spatial Plan represents the first step towards defining a Local Strategic Planning Statement for the region and aligns with what our community have already told us they want through the Community Strategic Plan.Mayor Jane Smith said the Plan is the blueprint of what the Coast will look like in the future and it is crucial the community is involved.“This is Council’s vision for sustainable development on the Coast – meeting the needs of our current residents whilst planning for the future,” Mayor Smith said.“We need to accommodate growth whilst enhancing the local character of neighbourhoods and protecting the natural environment that the community has told us are important to them.“We want our community to be a part of that vision.

Council is moving forward to deliver a new sporting and recreation complex for the north to meet the needs of this growing community and to promote healthy and active lifestyles.The Colongra Sporting Complex site spans across 2 hectares on Scenic Drive and is surrounded by an abundance of bushland whilst still being conveniently located for the neighbouring residents of San Remo, Blue Haven, Halekulani and Budgewoi.This exciting new facility will include two new turfed sporting fields, three netball courts, sporting amenities building with accessible toilets, playspace, carpark, pathways and access road.This project was initiated prior to the amalgamation of Council, following community consultation that led to detailed design plans being developed.  During the planning stage, two viable sites were identified for this project with the Scenic Drive site being most suitable with the least environmental impact.

Resident pet owners on the Central Coast are encouraged to have their furry friends microchipped for free at Central Coast Council’s microchipping day on 14 September.

Central Coast Council is urging community members to be vigilant in their preparation for bush fires with the official bush fire season set to start one month early on the Central Coast.Council Director Environment and Planning, Scott Cox said ongoing warm and dry conditions had prompted the NSW Rural Fire Service to start the Central Coast bush fire season on 1 September instead of 1 October.“We have over 128,500 hectares of bushland on the Central Coast, we are in drought and we are moving into the warmer months – all cues that we need to be on high alert for bush fires,” Mr Cox said.“At Council, we’ve completed our largest bush fire preparation program to date and we encourage each household on the Coast to be as bush fire ready as possible.“We have been working hard to enhance our fire trail network, constructing new fire trails, upgrading a significant number of existing strategic fire trails and protecting our bushland assets through fencing and security measures”.To help the Central Coast community be better prepared for emergencies, Council has joined the NSW Government’s ‘Get Ready’ initiative and is delivering targeted resilience workshops.Mayor Jane Smith said the Central Coast’s unique characteristics make emergency preparedness particularly important for the region.“We are all aware of how dry it has been not just here on the Coast but across NSW and this move by the NSW Rural Fire Service to get ready earlier is welcome,” Mayor Smith said.“Council is doing our part in providing crucial infrastructure and in ensuring our community is resilient too through education and community workshops.“Now is the time to ‘Get Ready’ for the long bushfire season ahead.”The five ‘Get Ready’ steps to prepare for any emergency are:Know your riskPlan now for what you will doGet your home readyBe awareLook out for each otherCommunity members can find more useful emergency preparation information by visiting centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/emergencies.The NSW Rural Fire Service provides the latest information on fires currently burning and outlines simple steps to prepare for bush fires, including how to develop a bush fire survival plan.

The Peninsula sporting community is seeing their vision of new sporting facilities come to life with the completion of a $1.9million redevelopment for the area, including a new sportsground amenities building at Woy Woy’s Austin Butler Oval, a refurbishment of the Woy Woy Tennis Clubhouse and an upgrade to the car park that services both facilities.

NSW Touch Football and Central Coast Council are pleased to announce a new venue for the 2019 Country Championships, with Central Coast Regional Sporting and Recreational Complex awarded hosting rights for the annual event.Central Coast Council Mayor Jane Smith said the announcement was a great follow-up to the recent announcement of the venue’s hosting of the 2020 and 2022 NSW Junior Regional Championship.“Touch football is a growing sport in our region and to be able to showcase the best the sport has to offer in NSW is a real coup for the Coast,” Mayor Smith said.“It is great to see the Sporting Complex is living up to the promise of delivering major sporting events to our region.“This event will deliver both a significant boost to our local economy along with an opportunity for our community to see some of the state’s best touch footballing talent in action.“We thank NSW Touch Football for their support of the Central Coast Regional Sporting and Recreational Complex and look forward to these events taking place.”NSWTA General Manager Dean Russell said it was a significant undertaking to bring the event to the region.“This particular area, and indeed those surrounding, have always been big supporters of the NSW Touch Association Country Championships,” said Russell.“For many years now, local participants have travelled across the state to participate in this competition and now they have an opportunity to compete in their own back yard.“To be able to bring a prestigious and important event like the Country Championships to the Central Coast is rewarding for those participants who have long supported this event”The 2019 Country Championships will be held on October 19-20 and sees the best regional touch footballing talent competing to be crowned NSW Country’s best and serves as an important pathway for athletes looking to secure positions in the 2020 NSW Touch Football State of Origin team or attain higher representative honours.The Central Coast Region has a fantastic touch football participation rate and it is hoped that many will try their hand at this event in preparation the 2019 State Cup, with the venue being both easily accessible for participants across the state and being perfectly set up to host the Country Championships.Russell estimates that with 1300 participants and officials, joined by significant family and friends travelling in support to the destination, the event will deliver an expected economic impact of $1.3 million into the local community.“The ability for the event itself to deliver an economic impact into communities is really pleasing and is one of the attractions to why Council’s such as Central Coast Council are interested in securing our events.” Russell said.A media opportunity will be held closer to the event where NSWTA General Manager Dean Russell and Central Coast Council leadership will formally launch the 2019 Country Championships.

Central Coast Council is celebrating Local Government Week with a special look at how it is part of the everyday lives of Coasties.This week, Council has been highlighting key community programs including responsible pet ownership and its new, first coast-wide Youth Strategy, as well as its water and childcare services, arts and cultural programs and some of the many open space and recreational activities available in the region.Council Chief Executive Officer, Gary Murphy said Council is very much a part of people’s everyday life and more than what people may think.“Central Coast Council delivers on services and programs that expand beyond roads, rates and rubbish, the breadth and diversity of what we do is surprising to many,” Mr Murphy said.“A lot of people don’t know that Council is a leader in ‘green’ policy change, with our innovative ‘Greener Places’ and ‘Climate Change’ policies, and our ‘Reconophalt’ road construction product made from recycled soft plastic, glass and toner cartridges, which will save thousands of tonnes of waste from ending up in landfill.“A lot of people also don’t know that Council offers child immunisations, study support programs like ‘Studiosity’, has a mobile library service that goes out into the community and that we nurture local talent through events, competitions and performing arts.“Council is staffed and run by local people, for local people and it is because of this that the services and projects we deliver, the sustainability of our environment and the growth of our region are just as important to us as they are to our community.”Mayor Jane Smith said local government and its many functions are a big part of people’s lives and Council is creating a smart, green and liveable region with a shared sense of belonging and responsibility.“Council is part of the everyday lives of our community, from our events, childcare centres, libraries, sports fields, beaches, environment, parks and cemeteries, to our galleries, building and development assessment and pet registrations,” Mayor Smith said.“We promote a healthy local economy and create local jobs, we work to make our community accessible for everyone to enjoy and we strive to make the Central Coast a great place to live and visit.“We will continue to look for opportunities to enhance the day-to-day lives of the Central Coast community through effective decision-making, planning and service delivery across all aspects of what we do.”“We hold Councillor Listening Posts throughout the year where you can come along and talk directly to Councillors about issues that affect you.

Central Coast Councils’ installation of a new stormwater gross pollutant trap (GPT) at Trafalgar Ave, Umina Beach has been delayed after the discovery of asbestos containing material at the site.Council has commenced asbestos remediation works and engaged licensed asbestos removal contractors to ensure public safety is maintained whilst contaminated soil is removed to a licenced facility, with work expected to be completed by Friday, 9 August.Council Unit Manager of Natural and Environmental Assets, Luke Sulkowski, said the works would allow safe removal of the asbestos and for the gross pollutant trap to be installed safely.“Work on the GPT installation was stopped immediately after bonded pieces of asbestos were discovered during excavation,” said Mr Sulkowski.“Expert advice was sought to test the soil to determine the amount of contamination and if any small fibres were present.“Our licenced contractors are now removing the contaminated soil, as per legislative requirements, and have been conducting on-going air monitoring throughout the removal process.“The first two days of air quality monitoring reported that concentrations were consistent with normal background levels and normal construction processes will resume once the asbestos contaminated material is removed from site.”The installation of the new GPT will reduce litter entering the beach and waterway downstream and will then be cleaned by a large suction truck on a recurrent schedule.Sulkowski reminded community members that they too can play a role in reducing the impact of litter on local beaches and waterways.“It’s up to all of us to ensure less litter makes it to the stormwater in the first place, putting rubbish in the bin or taking it with you is the best way to keep our waterways clear.“Remember If it’s on the ground it’s in our waterways.”

Central Coast Council in consultation with Umina Community Group and the Geographic Names Board have officially approved a name change of Woy Woy’s Trafalgar Avenue Park to The Runway. Community advocacy for the name change was led by Umina Community Group and the new name has been adopted to recognise the historic significance of this location for the local community.

Central Coast Council has completed a new section of the shared pathway around Tuggerah Lake foreshore.Council Director Roads, Transport, Drainage and Waste, Boris Bolgoff said the new section of pathway in Tuggerawong was a significant amenity and would enhance the appeal of the Tuggerah Lake loop for locals and tourists.“We are focussed on footpath, bike path and shared path projects that complete missing links, loop around our scenic waterways and improve transport connections – this project ticks all of the boxes,” Mr Bolgoff said.“The new pathway connects an existing pathway at Friday Street through to Tuesday Street, which improves access to local shops, a play space and the public school.“This is a three-metre-wide shared pathway, which can be used by walkers, cyclists, parents with prams and community members who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids.“Minimising environmental impact was a key priority for the project – we achieved this through keeping tree removal to an absolute minimum and by raising the pathway in some locations to avoid disrupting tree roots.”The $995,000 project was proudly funded by the NSW Government with $542,269 from the Stronger Country Communities Fund and $452,731 from Council.Mayor Jane Smith said the Tuggerah Lake loop was becoming an iconic resource for the Central Coast.“Walking and cycling around our beautiful Tuggerah Lake is a big part of many community members lives and an experience that never fails to impress visitors to our region,” Mayor Smith said.“This is a project that has been strongly supported by the ward Councillors, in particular Councillor Kyle MacGregor, so it is pleasing to see it come to fruition.“Expanding and maintaining our pathways network enhances the liveability and sustainability of the Central Coast by facilitating alternative transport modes and better connecting local communities.”Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said the Stronger Country Communities Fund was created to deliver infrastructure that improves the lives of local residents and the new section of shared pathway around Tuggerah Lake foreshore is just one of the hundreds of projects being built and delivered across regional NSW.“I congratulate the Central Coast Council on its funding win and completion of this amazing project which will boost connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians of all abilities,” Mr Barilaro said.“Not only will the new section of shared pathway benefit locals, but it will also help visitors discover the beauty of Tuggerah Lake.”Mr Barilaro said work is underway on more than 1,000 Stronger Country Communities Fund projects right across regional NSW, with hundreds now close to completion.The Stronger Country Communities Fund is part of the $1.7billion Regional Growth Fund, which together with the $4.2billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund is delivering once-in-a-generation infrastructure that generates opportunities, investment and jobs, on top of the NSW Government’s $1.8billion in drought support measures.For further information and program guidelines, go to nsw.gov.au/SCCFThe recently completed section of the Tuggerah Lake loop was the first stage of a five-stage project at Tuggerawong.Community consultation for the remaining stages of the project – which will extend the shared pathway for a further three kilometres to connect Tuesday Street, Tuggerawong through to Don Small Oval, Tacoma – is planned to start in late August.