Regional Development Australia Central Coast (RDACC) is urging Central Coast Council to continue the progression of a single Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and unified Development Control Plan (DCP), to support the continuing economic growth of the Central Coast region.

RDACC Chair, Phil Walker, said it has already been a lengthy process to bring together the two former government area (Gosford and Wyong) LEP’s and DCP’s, and it was now time to implement a permanent solution.

“The amalgamation of the former Gosford and Wyong councils in May 2016 presented many opportunities to streamline planning controls and increase efficiencies across the Central Coast,” said Mr Walker.

“More than three years on, the people of the Central Coast are more than ready for a unified approach to planning controls across the region that will only serve to encourage investment, growth and opportunity.”

RDACC CEO and Director Regional Development, John Mouland, is urging council to revisit the benefits a single LEP will provide for the community as a whole.

“We’re urging council to revisit the broad community benefits a consolidated LEP will provide,” said Mr Mouland.

“We echo the sentiments of Council’s Director Environment & Planning in December 2018, as to why a single planning instrument is so important for the Central Coast:

“The ultimate goal here is to have one Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and one Development Control Plan (DCP) that will help improve our local environment and encourage investment, create new jobs and quality housing for the growing population of the Central Coast.”

“We appreciate the significant amount of work by council staff, community members and other government agencies in preparing a unified LEP designed to simplify planning processes, deliver significant efficiencies, protect and enhance our natural environment, and position the Central Coast as a more attractive region for investment,” Mr Mouland added.

“To halt or stall the implementation of single planning controls for the Central Coast at this late stage is likely put our region at an economic disadvantage and prevent us from realising our full economic potential for a long time yet to come.”