Policy
The bill expands fast-track planning zones in parts of Gosford and Wyong while leaving flood-prone and rural Central Coast land under existing rules.
The NSW Planning Amendment (Housing Supply) Bill 2026 introduces new zoning categories that allow higher-density residential development on land already identified for growth in the Central Coast Regional Plan 2041. Residents in designated corridors around Gosford CBD and the Tuggerah-Warnervale area become eligible for streamlined development applications, while properties outside those corridors remain subject to current local environmental plans.
The changes arrive as Central Coast Council works through its post-administration recovery program, with state planning staff now handling a backlog of rezoning requests lodged since 2023. The bill responds to repeated shortfalls against the NSW housing target of 377,000 additional homes by 2029, a figure set out in the 2024-25 State Budget papers.
People seeking to build or buy near Gosford station could face shorter approval times once the new categories take effect. Local real-estate listings in those precincts already show increased investor interest in sites within 800 metres of the station. In contrast, homeowners in parts of Wamberal, Avoca Beach and rural valleys north of Wyong will continue to navigate the existing two-stage council and state referral process for any subdivision or dual-occupancy proposal.
Commuters using the Central Coast railway line may notice construction activity around stations if developers lodge projects under the new provisions. The legislation states that projects meeting the density and affordability criteria can bypass some heritage and environmental referrals that previously added six to twelve months to timelines.
State Treasury documents released with the bill allocate $48 million over four years for additional planning staff and digital assessment tools, with $7.2 million earmarked for regional councils including Central Coast. The government projects the first rezonings under the amended act will be exhibited by December 2026, after which individual development applications can be lodged.
Council officers have begun mapping the exact boundaries of the new zones against current flood studies, a step required before any certificates are issued. Residents can review the draft maps on the NSW Planning Portal from late July, with submissions open for 28 days.
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Published by The Daily Central Coast