$150M Mixed-Use Precinct Approved for Gosford CBD Fringe

Central Coast Council has approved a $150 million mixed-use development at the corner of Mann Street and Etna Street, just steps from Gosford railway station and the emerging city centre precinct. The 24-storey twin-tower project, set for a vacant block behind Kibble Park, was granted consent at Thursday night’s planning meeting following months of public submissions and design revisions.

This is the most ambitious development nod for Gosford since the launch of the ‘Our City Our Destiny’ revitalisation program in late 2025. The decision is being hailed as a pivotal step in turbocharging the CBD’s long-stalled transformation, coming as new infrastructure and residential demand sharpen the city’s competitive edge against both Newcastle and Sydney’s outer ring.

Location, scale, and what comes next

The approved site, formerly occupied by a council depot and an older commercial strip, will front Mann Street with new retail and dining tenancies. Developers Coastline Urban have committed to delivering 420 apartments in two slender residential towers above a boutique hotel and a 2-storey podium of offices, plus a public plaza connecting to Henry Parry Drive. The new laneways and ground-floor retail aim to activate dormant blocks between the Imperial Centre and the Leagues Club Park amphitheatre, a key ask in Council’s Gosford City Centre Masterplan.

Coastline Urban CEO Mark Riley confirmed work is scheduled to break ground in early 2027. Local hospitality operators, including the team behind Avoca’s Shady Palms, are reportedly eyeing space in the complex’s ground-floor food precinct.

What the numbers show

Central Coast rental vacancy has tightened sharply since the arrival of fast-rail pilot services in May, with Realestate.com.au data showing Gosford’s median unit price at $685,000 in June—an 11% year-on-year jump. The city centre’s pipeline already includes the Waterside Quarter (set for completion late 2026) and St Hilliers’ $220 million hospital-linked precinct, but population forecasts for the Central Coast LGA predict another 20,000 new residents over the next decade. Higher-density zoning along Mann Street and the current infrastructure spending spree have created what planners are calling a “brief but critical” opportunity window.

According to Council’s agenda, the development will produce an extra $3.6 million in annual rates revenue and accommodate an estimated 1,000 new jobs through construction and ongoing occupancy.

Developers are required to deliver a staged traffic plan for Etna and Faunce Streets, as well as a 2% affordable housing allocation in accordance with the Central Coast Affordable Housing Policy adopted last October.

Next steps for buyers, businesses and neighbours

Site excavation is scheduled for March 2027, with pre-sales campaigns to open as early as November. Locals who live or work near the Mann Street/Etna Street intersection can expect some traffic disruption as utility works begin early next year. Council planners say further consultation on laneway activation and plaza design—including public art—will continue through late 2026. The developers urge interested retailers, buyers and future residents to register their interest via Coastline Urban’s official website from this week.

Despite a recent dip in CBD auction clearance rates (Real Estate Institute of NSW data shows only 52% in June, down from 70% last year), the weight of investment in Gosford’s city heart is widely expected to anchor demand. Experts suggest buyers watch early release dates closely; “CBD living” is no longer marketing spin, but a real, decade-defining shift for the region.