Duplicate Images on Council Records: What Happens Next and the Key Decisions Ahead

Central Coast Council has confirmed it is reviewing a series of duplicate images embedded across its online property and asset records system — a technical problem that has quietly undermined the accuracy of planning documents and development applications lodged through the Gosford and Wyong service hubs since at least mid-2025. The review, now formally under way within the Council's Information and Technology division, will determine which records need to be corrected, which development files may require resubmission, and how the public register is updated going forward.

The timing matters. Council only exited formal financial administration in 2023 after a period of state government oversight triggered by a near-$1.5 billion debt crisis, and it is still rebuilding public confidence in its internal systems. Any suggestion that planning data is unreliable — even a technical glitch affecting image files rather than legal determinations — lands differently when ratepayers are already watching closely. The Gosford CBD renewal corridor, which stretches along Mann Street and into the waterfront precinct, has attracted a wave of development interest, meaning clean, accurate public records are not a bureaucratic nicety but a practical requirement for investors and residents alike.

What the Problem Actually Involves

Duplicate image files appear when a document management system re-indexes or migrates data without proper deduplication protocols. In Council's case, staff noticed the issue surfacing in property information certificates and asset condition reports accessible through the ePathway online portal, which Central Coast Council uses for planning and development lodgements. Affected records include site photographs attached to development applications and infrastructure inspection logs covering roads, drainage assets, and community buildings across suburbs from Woy Woy in the south to Toukley in the north.

The practical consequence for applicants is real. A development application for a residential subdivision or a commercial fit-out on Donnison Street, Gosford, relies on attached imagery to accurately represent site conditions at the time of lodgement. If duplicated or mismatched images appear in the official record, a certifier or assessing officer may flag inconsistencies, potentially slowing approval timelines. For homeowners trying to sell in suburbs like Erina or Terrigal — where median house prices have held above $900,000 through the first half of 2026 — delays to property information certificates can stall conveyancing.

Council has not publicly quantified how many records are affected, and The Daily Central Coast was unable to confirm a specific figure before deadline. The review is expected to conclude by September 2026, according to Council's published meeting schedule for the July ordinary meeting cycle.

The Decisions Council Faces in Coming Months

Three questions will define what happens next. First, will Council require applicants with affected files to resubmit supporting imagery, or will staff amend records internally? Mandatory resubmission would push administrative burden onto private residents and small developers at a time when building costs remain elevated. Second, will the Council adopt a standalone deduplication audit tool as part of its broader Digital Transformation Strategy — a program listed in the 2025-26 Operational Plan — or fold the fix into the next scheduled system upgrade? Third, how transparent will Council be with the community about the scope and resolution of the problem?

The last question connects directly to the Council's obligations under the NSW Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. Ratepayers have the right to request records and expect them to be accurate. The Central Coast Community Environment Network and other local advocacy groups have historically scrutinised Council's record-keeping, particularly around environmental and flood planning data — relevant given that large parts of the Tuggerah Lakes foreshore and the Wyong River floodplain carry active flood risk overlays.

The practical advice for anyone with a pending development application or a property transaction in progress is straightforward: contact Council's customer service centre on Mann Street, Gosford, confirm whether your specific file reference has been flagged, and request written confirmation of the record's status before proceeding. Anyone lodging a new application through ePathway between now and September should retain their own copies of all uploaded imagery with time-stamped metadata as a precaution. The September review deadline gives Council roughly ten weeks to get this right — and residents every reason to keep asking questions until it does.