Gosford Alive Precinct Plans Ready to File

Plans to develop the abandoned mall at Gosford have taken a step forward as the Central Coast Council takes aim at a 9400-home target in the next five years.

The designs for Universal Property Group’s Gosford Alive precinct were unveiled and the state significant application was expected to be submitted in the coming months.

The group moved on Gosford Alive earlier this year after St Hilliers went into administration halting work on 21 sites including the 334 apartments project.

Plus Architecture, Architecture AND and CHROFI were behind the vision for Gosford Alive with 650 homes to be built on an entire city block nearby in the city’s civic centre.

The plans for the 1.4ha precinct included a civic plaza and ground plane, with tower 1 overlooking Kibble Park by CHROFI.

Kibble Park through the site would be extended and 5000sq m of retail and commercial space would be built. 

Plus Architecture created towers 2 and 3 and other public spaces to link the precinct at 136-146 and 148 Donnison Street, Gosford, together.

Meanwhile, Architecture AND was on towers 4 and 5 near the precinct’s east-west link with landscaping throughout the project by Arcadia. 

▲ The winning submission of the design excellence competition was managed by Urbis with Plus Architecture, Architecture AND and CHROFI coming up with the winning scheme.

Architecture AND principal Andrew Burns said the team approach was structured around a response to three scales: the city, the neighbourhood and the home.

“The collaboration between a diverse group of practices has resulted in diverse architectural expression, in form, geometry and material,” Burns said.

“To create a real piece of city, in dialogue with the dramatic Rumbalara escarpment to the perimeter of the site.”

Passive heating and cooling, biophilic green roofs, responsibly sourced materials, solar access and rainwater harvesting also featured in the plans.

▲ There are 152,370 homes on the Central Coast with a population of 350,000, which is expected to increase particularly with new developments at Gosford.

Development on the abandoned Market Town shopping centre also known as the Kibbleplex site was more than 10 years in the making. 

The site was originally purchased by the then Gosford Council for $11 million in 2010 and sold to the Lederer Group for $13 million in 2013.

The project was part of billionaire and co-owner of the Western Sydney Wanderers Paul Lederer’s wider Gosford portfolio.

However, the group faced an uphill battle with Central Coast Council who objected to the plans in 2020.

▲ The concept designs for the then known Pacifica site, which was deemed one of the key components in the transformation of the NSW Central Coast city of Gosford.

Lederer went on to gain concept approval in September 2020 for a five-tower mixed-use precinct with 727 apartments from the NSW Independent Planning Commission.

About two years later the project also known as Pacifica Gosford sold to Raj and Jai Construction,

This group was connected with the Universal Property Group Pty Ltd as well as Bathla Group.