We are developing a plan for the Central Coast that will enable development on suitable land for housing and jobs, while protecting the region’s unique plants and animals. The plan will identify where development can occur and which areas must be protected. It will:
- provide planning and investment certainty for developers
- protect the environment for the long term
- counterbalance the effects of growth and development.
Covering around 3,000 hectares, the plan supports the goals of the Central Coast Regional Plan 2041. Some of the land is owned by Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council. Read their Development Delivery Plan for more information.
Terms of reference
The NSW and Australian Governments have agreed to progress the plan and in April 2025 the Terms of Reference for the Strategic Assessment Report for the Central Coast Strategic Conservation Plan were finalised as the first step.
The terms of reference explain how the impacts of development on plants and animals protected under Commonwealth biodiversity law are assessed.
We exhibited the Central Coast Strategic Conservation Plan Draft Terms of Reference, from 15 November 2024 to 10 January 2025, under section 146(1B)(b)(ii) of the Act. The exhibition did not include details of the conservation plan or information on individual landholder property mapping.
The terms of reference will inform the draft Central Coast Strategic Conservation Plan and strategic assessment report, which will be exhibited for public feedback in 2025. This will be the formal opportunity for you to comment on the details of the plan.
For more information email [email protected]
Frequently asked questions
The plan will enable development on suitable land, while protecting the region’s unique native plants and animals. It will do this by identifying areas that can be developed through biodiversity approvals. This will be in line with state and federal legislation. Biodiversity approvals will allow development to happen on land that does not have high biodiversity value. This means that development approvals can progress without the need for individual site assessments for biodiversity.
Land covered by the conservation plan has been identified for growth under the Central Coast Regional Plan 2041 and the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council’s Development Delivery Plan.
As we develop more homes and critical infrastructure, it is vital we protect our plants and animals. A conservation plan is needed for the Central Coast to balance the need for development with the protection of biodiversity. As the population increases, the plan will deliver much needed housing in the area while contributing to healthier local communities and environments.
Rather than site-by-site approvals, the conservation plan will consider the cumulative impacts of growth on the area over the long term, by identifying which areas can be developed and which should be protected. This will speed up development application approval times, delivering more homes faster.
The plan is being developed in response to the Central Coast Strategy for Economic Growth and supports the objectives of the Central Coast Regional Plan 2041.
Land within the Greater Warnervale, Greater Lake Munmorah and Somersby growth areas and precincts, as identified in the Central Coast Regional Plan 2041. It also includes several sites owned by Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council.
View the Central Coast Strategic Conservation Plan (CCSCP) Project Area map (PDF, 2.3 MB) for more details.
Publicly exhibiting the draft terms of reference under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 was an important step in developing the plan.
Now that the terms of reference have been finalised, we will complete the draft strategic assessment report and draft Central Coast Strategic Conservation Plan. We will publicly exhibit these for feedback in 2025.
The draft conservation plan will identify land where development is suitable. It will also identify areas of high biodiversity value where development must be avoided. The plan will outline a conservation program to balance the impacts of growth.
Your feedback on the draft documents is important. All feedback will be considered before the final plan is submitted to the state and federal environment ministers for consideration and approval.