Plans Approved for $110m Gosford Apartment Precinct

The NSW government has approved a $110-million residential masterplan for a former sandstone quarry site in Gosford on the Central Coast.

The state significant project, being overseen by private JWD Developments, proposes a collection of apartment buildings and extensive common areas and landscaping across a 2.3ha site on a ridge overlooking Brisbane Water.

Plans for the 87-89 John Whiteway Drive site were initially proposed in 2018, putting forward 299 apartments before being reduced to 262 in early 2019 after a public backlash, and then 204 earlier this year.

The department received 22 submissions—six from public authorities, one from the Central Coast Council, 14 from the public and two from special interest groups.

The four residential buildings, designed by ADG Architects, have been reduced from their original planned height of 12 storeys to between five and nine storeys.

“Throughout the assessment concerns were raised with the impact of the variation to building height on solar access and visual amenity,” the NSW department of planning stated in its report.

“These concerns have since been addressed through design changes.”

They will now span a combined total of 24,700sq m and feature a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units.

The project will now be built in three stages starting with the basement carpark with 305 parking spaces, followed by three residential buildings and finally the remaining building along with a communal area, the swimming pool and 5800sq m of common space.

The development will boast tennis courts and 15,000sq m of green space. Each building will include a green rooftops.

Although only 600m from the Gosford CBD, the site is in a relatively remote location, away from existing services.

The site, not well serviced by public transport and with poor walkability to the Gosford CBD due to its topography and limited pedestrian infrastructure, will be connected to the city with new roads, elevated public walkways and viewing platforms.

Construction will now begin in early 2022 and is due to be completed in mid 2024. It is anticipated that the project will generate 500 jobs during construction.

Meanwhile, construction is now under way down the road on one of Gosford’s longest-running development sites with Pinnacle Construction Group on track to deliver a $60-million, 97-apartment development at 86 John Whiteway Drive.

As well, Sydney developer James Moses has development approval for a $133-million high-rise apartment project for a site from 321 to 331 Mann Street, opposite the Gosford Hospital.

Gosford has continued to attract people from Sydney seeking cheaper housing which has bolstered planned development.

Developers and investors have now cottoned on to these opportunities, moving towards Gosford on the Central Coast as well as Newcastle, with the region tipped to grow during coming years in accordance with the Central Coast Regional Plan 2036.

Other developments currently under way in Gosford include shopping centres, ICC Development Group’s 167-room, 5-star hotel, restaurants and dining, and a new cinema.

The state government has also pledged $80 million to upgrade the Gosford-to-Sydney train line to allow for a high-speed rail service.