Central Coast needs to grow to support our local economy and future prosperity, particularly our working-age population. To attract working families, and meet our diverse community needs, we need more homes, of the right types, in the right places.

Our Homes – Our Future plans for a similar rate of growth to recent years, allowing for gentle change over the long-term. Complex factors affect how quickly a place grows, so the Strategy plans for a range of growth, from around 115 (low) to 230 (high) new residents per year. At times, growth may be above or below this range.

Plans limit building heights to 3-6 storeys in the Ulverstone town centre and immediate surrounds, 3 storeys near the centre of Penguin (but not in Main Street) and 2 storeys everywhere else. Where these heights are allowed, design guidelines heavily restrict building form, promote good design, and support local character.

A catalyst site is an area that due to its size and location, could theoretically accommodate some housing at some point in the next 20 years and beyond.

Whether or not that occurs, would be subject to a lot more consideration and consultation.

Design guidelines are in place to protect and enhance valued local character. These are specific to each place, but examples include:

• Minimum lot sizes and maximum lot coverage to manage the bulk and scale of buildings
• Upper-level setbacks for taller buildings to keep a low-rise community feel at the street.
• Landscaping and tree-coverage requirements to preserve the green, coastal character of Central Coast.
• Set-backs, front fencing requirements, and how buildings address the street to promote a friendly community feel and privacy for neighbours.

You can use the PolicyScape tool to see how the design guidelines apply to specific places across Central Coast.

We have consulted with utilities companies and State Government to ensure that growth is focused in places that have existing infrastructure capacity.

Our Homes – Our Future will be used by Council to plan for local infrastructure that Council is responsible for, and to engage with other agencies and utilities companies to inform their planning for infrastructure upgrades that are needed to support planned population growth.

Our Homes – Our Future focuses on providing more homes in places that are close to shops, schools, jobs, parks, and the Structure Plans identify improvements to infrastructure to support walking and cycling.

Together, these initiatives will bring more people closer to their everyday needs, and make it easier to choose active travel, assisting to reduce the traffic impact of population growth.

Our Homes - Our Future is planning how Central Coast may change to 2045, and growth will happen gradually over that time. Some outcomes may not be viable now, but the plan means we can capture economic opportunity when it comes, and shape growth to suit us.

Sustainable growth is key to our future prosperity, and a central aspiration of Council’s Our Place – Our Future: The Strategic Plan 2024-2034.

Growing sustainably means that we meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

To support sustainable growth, Our Homes – Our Future aims to:

• Ensure current and future residents can access housing options that best meet their needs.
• Retain residents and attract new residents, while ensuring our community remains inclusive and accessible.
• Celebrate and protect what is special and unique about Central Coast.
• Support Central Coast to be a vibrant and prosperous community into the future.

Our Homes – Our Future will be implemented through two key actions:

• A planning scheme amendment to build the new controls into Central Coast’s planning system
• Updated Cradle Coast Regional Land Use Strategy to reflect Our Homes – Our Future.

Once in the planning system, change is market-led and site-by-site. New homes will be built gradually by individual landowners, who need to meet the planning controls that have Our Homes – Our Future built in.