Gosford high-speed rail station plan deferred as council seeks lead role

Central Coast Council’s push to take a leading role in locating the Gosford high-speed rail station will return to committee on 3 November, after councillors noted a $150 million Australian Government design-package funding announcement.

The funding covers the Berowra to Ourimbah section of the high-speed rail project, including the Gosford station location. The Environment and Planning Committee identified the station location as a priority planning project but deferred the item at its 6 October meeting.

The committee’s recommendation asks Council to take a leading role in the station location and invite the High Speed Rail project team to brief the committee on its locational requirements. It also asks the project team to confirm Council’s involvement as a lead agency in the station location.

The recommendation seeks support from the Minister for the Central Coast for Council’s involvement. It also advises the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure team working on the Gosford CBD plan that the station location is important to that plan.

Council’s Strategic Planning Group has been tasked with treating the station location as a priority project and reporting regularly to the Environment and Planning Committee.

The station item was deferred on a motion moved by Councillor Doug Eaton and seconded by Mayor John McNamara. The material available does not provide a vote split for the deferral.

The committee is scheduled to consider the station again on 3 November, alongside the deferred AI and digital planning technologies item. That report outlines guiding principles for future consideration of AI-enabled planning solutions.

The Gosford station’s location and its planning implications remain under consideration as Council pursues a direct role in planning the project and its relationship with the Gosford CBD plan.