Penguin is a picturesque, relaxed coastal town and Central Coast’s lifestyle and tourism heart.

To protect Penguin’s beauty and character, and respond to changing community needs, the plan is carefully designed to provide a wider range of homes with minimal visual impact.

New homes will need to comply with tailored design guidelines that reflect local character. For example:

• Minimum requirements for space between buildings to ensure privacy and prevent overshadowing.
• Landscaping requirements to increase greening.
• Character considerations, for colours, materials, and front fences, to maintain Penguin's look and feel.
• Buildings must sit below the ridgeline to protect the scenic landscape and view-sharing is promoted.

The draft Penguin Structure Plan (see image below) includes three areas:

• Town Centre Protection: The village character of the town centre is one of Penguin’s most valued features. The plan preserves Main Street’s existing 2-storey building height so its character can be enjoyed long into the future.
• Residential Consolidation: Places where convenience meets beauty are very desirable, and more smaller options with good accessibility are needed for ageing in place. The plan allows more people to live close to the town centre, with units, terraces, and townhouses up to 3 storeys.
• Residential Incremental: New homes will continue to comprise separate houses, with some dual-occupancy, units, terraces, and townhouses in the mix.

Where 3-storey buildings are allowed, design guidelines heavily restrict building form to support local character. For example, the third storey must be recessed from lower levels, reducing bulk and preventing overshadowing.