October 10, 2011
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Landing Masterplan goes on display
Issue 018
Council supports high speed rail
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osford Council announced that it supported in principle a high speed rail project that would pass through the Central Coast.
Member for Gosford Mr Chris Holstein and the Landing Project Control Group chairman Mr Stephen Brahams at the opening of the Landing display shopfront
shop front featuring the models and plans of the Landing Masterplan was opened at 178 Mann St, Gosford on Wednesday, October 5.
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Member for Gosford Mr Chris Holstein officially opened the shop front which will provide people within Gosford CBD access to information about what will be happening on the Gosford waterfront. Mr Holstein said: “At 178 Mann St, the public can come into the premises and
look at what the plans are for the city’s waterfront.” “They can discuss the master plan in detail with the staff on hand. “This is a continuation of the communication process established with the Gosford Challenge. “It is about giving people access to the information
and the plan. “The Landing at Gosford is the catalyst project for the revitalisation of the Gosford CBD. “It is about reconnecting the city with the waterfront. “The purpose in having the shop front is to provide the community with the opportunity to comment on
the plan,” he said. The shop front will be open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 2pm until Friday, October 21. Media release, 5 Oct 2011 Margaret Paterson, Central Coast Regional Development Corporation
For more on the Landing at Gosford and public comments see page 14.
Councils work together osford Council agreed at its meeting of Tuesday, October 4, that it would enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Wyong Council to work collaboratively together to progress to the regionalisation of appropriate services and business procedures.
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The MOU would also see the creation of a Project Control Group which would consist of the general managers, mayors, deputy mayors and senior staff from both Councils’ to develop project plans and timeframes to regionalise services. Council is now waiting on a response from Wyong
in support of the agreement. The MOU followed Gosford Council’s decision not to proceed with a feasibility study into a possible amalgamation with Wyong Council. Gosford mayor Cr Laurie Maher said although “we decided in this council that we would not progress the amalgamation, we will work
assiduously in getting a collaborative approach”. The two Councils have already funded and supported around 20 joint projects that had the overall goal of better servicing the residents of the Central Coast. They also worked together to develop policies, processes and systems that
Council resolved that it would provide a submission to the Department of Infrastructure and Transport on phase one of the feasibility study at its meeting of Tuesday, October 4. Council’s submission would outline the potential positive impacts on the Gosford LGA and would note Council’s support for the Newcastle to Sydney corridor to be progressed as high priority. Phase one of the two phase study was released on August 4 by the minister for infrastructure and transport Mr Anthony Albanese. The study looked at potential routes along the East Coast of Australia from Brisbane, southwards to Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. It identified that a feasible High Speed Rail corridor between Newcastle and Sydney existed for an approximate construction cost of 14.2 billion. Within this corridor, the study identified that high speed rail stations would potentially be located at Kariong or Ourimbah. The community’s position on High Speed Rail was outlined in the 2009 response to requested NSW State Plan Priorities with a high speed rail link between Sydney and Newcastle with stops in Gosford and Wyong at the top of the list.
Council’s report on October 4, however, stated that it “would appear inappropriate at this stage in the High Speed Rail’s development to specify that there should be stations at Gosford and Wyong”. It said that the number of stations and their location would be analysed in phase two of the study. Cr Peter Freewater said that a “high speed link is exactly what the Central Coast needs to help this region grow, to promote economic prosperity for everybody”. “It’s fabulous that we are progressing with this. “Bring it on,” said Cr Freewater. According to Gosford Council’s report, phase one of the study confirmed that “the Newcastle to Sydney rail line is the most heavily utilised within Australia outside urban areas” and “transport to the region remains relatively slow and subject to congestion”. Director of environment and planning Ms Colleen Worthy-Jennings said the High Speed Rail would make travelling to Sydney easier. “Being only 60km away, we should certainly be able to get to Sydney in under an hour,” she said. Gosford Council Agenda ENV.64, 4 Oct 2011 Kaitlin Watts, 4 Oct 2011
supported the formation of the Central Coast Water Corporation. Gosford Councils report said: “It is essential for our region that both Gosford and Wyong Councils work co-operatively and systematically towards the regionalisation of appropriate services and business processes.” Gosford Council Agenda MM.11, 4 Oct 2011 Media Release, 4 Oct 2011 Gosford Council Media The proposed route of the High Speed Rail