<< Peninsula News 17 December 2002 - Peninsula strategy part of regional plan>>

Peninsula strategy part of regional plan

The preparation of an "integrated urban area strategy" is the major consequence for the Peninsula of a regional action plan released for public comment.

The draft "Shaping the Central Coast Action Plan", a collaborative effort of PlanningNSW, Gosford and Wyong Councils, was released on December 6.

The plan contains over 200 actions supporting the "Shaping the Central Coast" regional planning document.

Many, including the integrated urban area strategy, concern the Peninsula.

This strategy is set to include integrated plans for transport, land use, community services, infrastructure and jobs.

The plan says that an extra 10,000 people on the Peninsula has affected drainage, traffic, foreshore and watercourse management.

Properties in Woy Woy flood regularly, requiring floor levels to be raised in the future and consequently requiring future changes in pedestrian access and waterproofing of basement parking.

Drainage facilities in Woy Woy, Umina Beach and Ettalong Beach are also described in the report as "inadequate" by today's standards and not meeting community expectations.

Upgrading the facilities and construction is expected to cost $72 million excluding land acquisition costs.

The Woy Woy sewerage pump station is identified as requiring work to accommodate growth to 2020.

Traffic congestion and road safety are to be improved by plans to upgrade the main road system and to construct a railway underpass to replace the Rawson road level crossing.

The wharf to be developed for the fast ferry from Ettalong to Sydney is also included in plans as well as associated facilities and feeder bus services.

Improvements in the Brisbane Water Ferry service and the relocation of operational police officers to the Woy Woy police station were other current programs mentioned in the report.

The upgrading Woy Woy train station with bus interchange, bicycle lockers, expansion of commuter car parking by 300 spaces is scheduled in the report for 2004.

Other suggestions in the report included improving Ocean Beach Rd, Umina Beach, from Railway St to West St and upgrading feeder roads to F3 Freeway including Woy Woy Rd.

Plans were also made to investigate the feasibility of developing an off-road tourist-recreational waterfront link from Woy Woy to Blackwall Mountain and to expand and improve the tourist-recreational bicycle-pedestrian coastal off-road link from Umina Beach to Ettalong Beach.

The Peninsula economic strategy, known as Peninsula Vision, a project to encourage and mentor business activity to promote jobs on the Peninsula is also to be implemented.

Alison Branley, Action Plan, December 13