Development Sparks Divide on Central Coast: Community Opposition to New Projects, Both Sides Explained

The battle over the future shape of the Central Coast is heating up as residents in several suburbs push back against major new development proposals, while supporters argue the projects will bring much-needed vitality and infrastructure improvements to the region.

At a packed meeting in the Woy Woy Peninsula Community Centre last week, more than 80 locals from Booker Bay, Ettalong and Umina voiced concerns over a proposed 12-storey apartment building on The Esplanade. The proposal, submitted by Sydney-based developers Karst Holdings, would deliver over 100 new dwellings just steps from the popular Ettalong Beach foreshore, and has become a flashpoint for broader anxieties about the pace and scale of change.

The Push-Pull of Progress

The controversy comes as the Central Coast faces rapid growth on multiple fronts. With a median house price around $820,000—about half of Sydney’s—and recent investment in fast rail at Gosford Station cutting Sydney commutes to under an hour, more city buyers are eyeing waterfront suburbs like Terrigal and Avoca Beach.

City of Gosford’s recent ‘Renewal Precinct’ strategy has greenlit several high-rise projects in the CBD and along Mann Street, fuelling hopes for jobs and amenities, but drawing criticism from long-time residents worried about traffic, overshadowing, and the erosion of the relaxed coastal character. “I’ve lived on The Esplanade for 32 years—this is not Bondi,” one local said at last week’s meeting, summing up sentiment echoed in petitions and online forums across the Coast. The Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, argued the growth could help sustain local shops, upgrade public spaces, and fund overdue repairs—including drainage near Ettalong Wharf and new cycleways connecting to Killcare.

Similar tensions are reported in Avoca Beach, where a $38 million proposal for a mixed-use development along Avoca Drive has spurred both fund-raisers for legal challenges and letters of support from young families citing surging rental demand. In Terrigal, the recent approval of a five-storey retail-hospitality complex on Church Street bucked vocal objections about parking and beach views, with Central Coast Council noting a seven percent increase in year-on-year visitor numbers meant the seaside town needed new options.

By the Numbers

Last quarter, the Central Coast saw 327 new dwelling completions, according to CoreLogic. Median rent in Terrigal rose to $700 per week, up from $590 two years ago. Council’s forward estimates expect population in the Woy Woy-Umina area to hit 54,000 by June 2028—a jump of nearly 9%—boosted by families and professionals relocating from Sydney.

Of the 22 major development applications public-notified by Central Coast Council since January, more than half have drawn formal objections—mostly around building height, parking, or bushland impacts. At the same time, Housing Industry Association data shows first home buyer loan activity in the region has surged 13% year-on-year as new supply comes online.

For residents wanting a say, statutory exhibition periods on major applications last a minimum of 28 days. The current Karst Holdings application closes for objections on July 22, and detailed plans can be viewed at the Council’s Erina office or online via its DA Tracker platform. Planning officers will report to the next Council meeting in August, with a public gallery expected to be full.

The debate is far from settled. With developer interest running high, a revitalised Central Coast is coming—shaped by the community’s choices at the ballot box, the council chamber, and the planning desk.