Local Planning Panel - Thursday 17 September 2026

Topics

• Panel rejects proposed North Avoca licensed restaurant
  A licensed restaurant/cafe proposal at 15/21-23 North Avoca Parade has been refused, partly because Body Corporate consent was missing.
  The decision determines whether a new food-and-drink venue can proceed at the site and highlights a basic consent issue in the application.
• Forresters Beach home and pool modification refused over environmental and amenity concerns
  The Panel rejected an amended proposal for a dwelling, pool, retaining walls and terrace at 1 Yumbool Close.
  The refusal affects a residential redevelopment and concerns potentially relevant to neighbours, including earthworks, stormwater, overshadowing, landscaping and site safety.
• Warnervale childcare centre refused over vegetation, biodiversity and open-space conflicts
  A proposed childcare centre at 23-35 Albert Warner Drive was refused because of tree and vegetation retention, biodiversity and RE1 public-open-space issues.
  The decision pits a proposed community childcare use against environmental protection and the planned public-space function of the site.

Decisions

• Licensed restaurant refused in North Avoca
  Development Application DA/2004/2024/A for a licensed restaurant/cafe at 15/21-23 North Avoca Parade was refused. Reasons included the absence of Body Corporate consent and failure to satisfy relevant planning considerations.
  The proposed restaurant will not proceed in its submitted form at the North Avoca site.
• Amended dwelling and swimming-pool application refused in Forresters Beach
  The Section 4.55 modification application for DA/1974/2023/A at 1 Yumbool Close was refused. The Panel found the proposal was not of minimal environmental impact and was inconsistent with R2 Low Density Residential objectives; the extracted reasons also refer to earthworks, retaining structures, stormwater, landscaping, amenity, overshadowing, lighting, safety and site management concerns.
  Nearby residents are affected by the decision on a proposed dwelling, pool, retaining walls and terrace, including the retention of a northern retaining wall and terrace.
• Childcare centre refused in Warnervale
  Development Application DA/434/2026 for a childcare centre at 23-35 Albert Warner Drive was refused. Reasons included conflict with requirements to retain trees and vegetation, failure to meet biodiversity avoidance and minimisation requirements, and inconsistency with RE1 zone objectives for public open space and recreation.
  The proposed childcare centre will not proceed as submitted, and the site’s vegetation, biodiversity and park-related land-use issues remain significant.
• Co-living housing refused in North Gosford
  Development Application DA/234/2026 for co-living housing and demolition of existing structures at 76 Hills Street, North Gosford was refused under section 4.16(1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. The supplied extract does not include the detailed reasons.
  The proposed co-living development and associated demolition will not proceed in the submitted form.

Discussion

• Development assessment outcomes
  The Panel considered four applications and refused all four, following virtual site inspections and review of assessment reports, submissions and other application material.
  Residents and applicants receive clear outcomes on four local development proposals.
• Biodiversity and public open space
  The Warnervale childcare proposal was found to conflict with tree and vegetation retention requirements, biodiversity legislation and RE1 zone objectives.
  The decision supports protection of vegetation, biodiversity and land intended for public open space and recreation.
• Neighbourhood amenity and site impacts
  The Forresters Beach refusal involved concerns including earthworks, retaining structures, stormwater, landscaping, internal amenity, overshadowing, lighting, safety and site management.
  These issues are directly relevant to adjoining residents and the future design and construction impacts of the site.

Impacts

• Four proposed developments will not proceed in their submitted forms following unanimous Panel decisions.
• Residents near 1 Yumbool Close, Forresters Beach may avoid the extracted earthworks, retaining, stormwater, overshadowing and amenity impacts associated with the refused amended proposal.
• The Warnervale decision maintains planning scrutiny of vegetation retention, biodiversity and public open-space outcomes.
• The North Avoca licensed restaurant proposal was refused partly because Body Corporate consent had not been provided.

Places

• North Avoca (suburb)
  15/21-23 North Avoca Parade; proposed licensed restaurant refused.
• 15/21-23 North Avoca Parade (property address)
  Site of refused licensed restaurant/cafe application DA/2004/2024/A.
• Forresters Beach (suburb)
  1 Yumbool Close; amended dwelling, swimming pool, retaining walls and terrace application refused.
• 1 Yumbool Close (property address)
  Site of refused modification application DA/1974/2023/B.
• Warnervale (suburb)
  23-35 Albert Warner Drive; proposed childcare centre refused.
• 23-35 Albert Warner Drive (property address)
  Site of refused childcare centre application DA/434/2026.
• North Gosford (suburb)
  76 Hills Street; proposed co-living housing refused.
• 76 Hills Street (property address)
  Site of refused co-living housing application DA/234/2026.

Next

• External referral bodies are to be notified of the Panel’s decisions.
  Following the meeting.
• Applicants may need to consider whether to revise or resubmit proposals, or pursue any available statutory review or appeal options.
  Not specified in the minutes.
• The next Local Planning Panel meeting is scheduled.
  22 October 2026

Extract

OFFICIAL Central Coast Council MINUTES of the Local Planning Panel Meeting Held remotely online via Teams Thursday 17 September 2026 Panel Members The Hon. Terry Sheahan Chairperson Greg Woodhams Panel Expert Heather Irish Panel Expert Julian Ardas Community Representative Central Coast Council Officers Attendance Emily Goodworth Section Manager, Development Assessment Services Jenny Tattam Senior Development Planner, Development Assessment Services Evert Grobbelaar Senior Development Planner, Development Assessment Services Emma Brown Senior Development Planner, Development Assessment Services Julie Terzoudis Senior Development Planner, Development Assessment Services Briony Stiles Team Le...