Final Housing Strategy
Earlier this year, we invited your feedback on the next stage of community consultation for Our Homes – Our Future — a once-in-a-generation housing strategy for Central Coast.
Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts on the draft strategy and structure plans — whether at a drop-in session or through our online engagement hub.
Your input has helped shaped the revised housing strategy and structure plans, helping us create a vision for future housing that is accessible, sustainable, and true to the unique character of the Central Coast.
What We Heard & What’s Changed
Balancing Growth Approaches
You told us there were mixed views on encouraging so much medium and high density development, and you expressed concerns about neighbourhood character.
So we’ve...
- Rejected and removed any suggestion of exploring housing development on public foreshore sites at Dial Street, Water Street, and Fairway/Bicentennial Park
- Scaled back high-density areas: “Amenity-driven” 6-storey zones have been revised to better reflect town character
- Updated design guidelines to support gentle density (e.g. duplexes, terraces) while protecting established neighbourhood feel
Building Height & Design
You told us building heights of 3–6 storeys raised concerns about sunlight, scale and privacy.
So we’ve...
- Reduced the area of Ulverstone where 6-storey buildings will be Permitted, centring it around the Ulverstone and West Ulverstone CBDs and removing it from the waterfront
- Strengthened design controls for how taller buildings transition next to lower-scale homes
Protecting Parks & Open Space
You told us not to develop on valued public parks and foreshore areas.
So we’ve...
- Removed all catalyst (now called strategic) housing sites from Bicentennial Park and Fairway Park
- Reinforced the role of parks and public land in maintaining community wellbeing and identity
Improving Design Quality
You told us that good design matters — especially around heritage, noise, and visual amenity.
So we’ve...
- Mapped all sites listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register and added guidelines for development near them
- Introduced noise mitigation rules for apartments near busy roads or commercial zones
- Added guidelines for solar PV systems in all precincts
Planning for Infrastructure & Transport
You told us growth must be supported by infrastructure and services — especially parking, transport, and utilities.
So we’ve...
- Prepared new flood hazard maps for structure plan areas where relevant
- Revised Leith Road plans to preserve parking, improve truck access, and remove tree planting that would reduce parking capacity
- Added advocacy action: Council will push for a new bus stop at Preservation Bay to support better public transport
What's Next
With the suite of strategic documents now adopted by Council, there will be a Planning Scheme Amendment process to incorporate proposed changes into the Tasmanian Planning Scheme – Central Coast. This process includes a statutory consultation period, offering further opportunities for community and stakeholder feedback. Ultimately, the Tasmanian Planning Commission will have the final say.
Stay tuned to Council’s website and social media channels or download the Antenno app to stay up to date.
Overview
Project Overview
Our Homes - Our Future will guide housing development in Central Coast over the next 20 years, and beyond, including the types of homes we need, where they should be located, and the infrastructure to support them.
The project seeks to celebrate the unique character of Central Coast, and each town, village, and hamlet, while ensuring we are a vibrant and prosperous community into the future.
It includes:
- A Housing Strategy with a vision and guiding principles for sustainable housing growth in Central Coast. The Strategy provides the basis for updated planning outcomes, including rezonings and new development controls, while informing regional level strategic land use planning.
- Four Structure Plans that address where and how sustainable housing growth should be delivered, with a local vision, land use plans, and an implementation plan.
The four structure plan areas are Ulverstone, Penguin, Forth, and Preservation Bay & Sulphur Creek. These areas were selected based on capacity for growth, such as infrastructure, employment, and amenity, opportunities and constraints.
The project is being fully funded by the Australian Government as part of the $1.5 billion Housing Support Program.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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Ethos Urban
Our Homes - Our Future Consultation
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