Council’s Community Strategic Plan needs a revamp says Bellamy

Community activist Lisa Bellamy has expressed concern over several aspects of Central Coast Council’s Draft Community Strategic Plan 2025–2035, now on public exhibition.

In a submission to Council, Bellamy said she was worried about the draft’s treatment of the natural environment, public green space, Aboriginal heritage, coastal management, and community consultation.

“The Central Coast has long been valued for its environmental assets, from bushland ridgelines to coastal foreshores and rich biodiversity,” she said.

“These features are essential not only to our region’s identity but to its liveability and sustainability.”

Bellamy said the current CSP included specific commitments to protect and expand the Coastal Open Space System (COSS), but the new draft doesn’t mention COSS at all.

“This omission contradicts the NSW Government’s Central Coast Regional Plan 2041, which explicitly supports strengthening and expanding the COSS,” she said.

She called for commitments to COSS to be reinstated and strengthened.

Bellamy said the draft document contained inaccurate mapping, including misidentification of Porters Creek Wetland as Jilliby State Conservation Area, and omitted or misrepresented other significant protected areas and she has called for this to be addressed.

Another concern was a lack of reference in the draft to increasing the region’s tree canopy.

“The draft fails to reference the Greener Places Strategy or commit to urban canopy expansion, street planting, or heat mitigation,” Bellamy said.

She said the draft was also vague on protecting public bushland and community green spaces, which were vital to local wellbeing and biodiversity.

“Aboriginal cultural heritage is mentioned only in general terms, without concrete strategies for identification, preservation, or respectful collaboration,” she said.

“I recommend Council commit to mapping, protecting and managing Aboriginal cultural sites in partnership with Traditional Custodians.

“There is also no clear commitment to evidence-based, equitable coastal management practices or to address recurrent flooding of Tuggerah Lakes, threatening ecosystems, infrastructure, and nearby communities.”

Bellamy said another problem was poorly defined community consultation commitments.

“Council claims this plan reflects community input, yet key environmental protections have been removed without explanation,” she said.

“The shift in themes from Belonging, Smart, Green, Responsible, Liveable – to Our People, Our Environment, Our Place, Our Economy, Our Leadership – has coincided with a loss of clear, measurable objectives.

“The language is vague, promotional, and lacks accountability.”

Bellamy said while the draft included commitments to housing and employment land supply, it lacked detail on how these developments would integrate with environmental values.

She called on Council to ensure that new housing developments and industrial zones were planned with street tree planting, green infrastructure, and connected wildlife corridors.

“Industrial areas must not be biodiversity deserts but contribute to a regional green network,” she said.

“The draft CSP must be more than a branding document.

“It must guide the real work of protecting, restoring and investing in the Central Coast’s natural environment and community assets.

“Without strong environmental commitments, the plan risks failing both current and future generations.”

She has urged Council to revise the draft to reflect the community’s long-standing values around “environmental stewardship, public land protection, and honest, meaningful engagement”.