Leading Australian property developer Third.i Group has announced it will dedicate 120ha of its proposed $1.6B master-planned housing community at Charmhaven as protected green, open space for the community – one of the largest conservation stewardship sites in NSW.
The announcement comes as the development is being considered by the State Government as a State Significant Development (SSD), with an objection from Central Coast Council based largely on biodiversity concerns.
The Charmhaven project is currently the biggest housing development planned for the Central Coast and has the potential to meet almost a quarter of the NSW Government’s target of 9,400 new homes to be completed in the region by 2029.
Third.i’s Head of Acquisitions Florian Caillon said about 60% of the site would be preserved ‘in perpetuity’ as conservation land, including a wildlife corridor helping to connect nearby Lake Munmorah to the Watagan Mountains.
“We’re really excited that we’ll be dedicating 120ha of the development site to environmental conservation, creating publicly accessible green space that supports local biodiversity, outdoor recreation and community wellbeing,” Caillon said.
“We’ll be unlocking privately-held land, which has turned into an environmentally dangerous illegal dumping ground, into public open space, creating new links to broader conservation networks.
“This will give the local community access to nature corridors and walking tracks, which we will be funding in perpetuity for future generations.”
Caillon said as part of its commitment to biodiversity conservation, Third.i had engaged three NSW Government Accredited Assessors under the Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM).
Combined, these assessors spent more than three years walking almost 8,500m to undertake detailed assessments and data procurement on site, he said.
This has included two independent peer reviews by Accredited Assessors.
Caillon said these studies endorsed the overall development footprint proposed, which was a balanced outcome between biodiversity and development.
He said the fieldwork confirmed: no serious and irreversible impacts to species; no direct impact on Coastal Wetlands; the preservation of 100% of all confirmed Charmhaven Orchids on-site; revegetation and restoration of degraded bushland; protection of watercourses and riparian zones; installation of wildlife corridors and refuges to accommodate species to travel through; transformation of private, underutilised land use into a publicly accessible regionally significant east-west wildlife corridor linking the lake to the mountains; and conversion of an illegal dumping ground into publicly accessible nature reserves and walking tracks, maintained in perpetuity.
“We’re looking forward to having the opportunity to work with government authorities to deliver a balanced outcome, that will not only help the chronic undersupply of housing on the Central Coast, but also preserve and protect over 50% of the site in perpetuity to allow for flora and fauna to thrive,” Caillon said.
He said contingent on planning approvals, the first new homes could be delivered in 36 months, helping meet the growing demands for housing on the Central Coast, which was forecast to grow to more than 404,250 people by 2041.
Central Coast Council has objected to the proposal, outlining concerns relating to impacts on biodiversity, traffic control and safety, in two submissions lodged to the State Government.
Council said proposals for extensive development in the Arizona Rd area had been existing for more 20 years, but intensive development and rezoning proposals had not been supported due to the high biodiversity constraints of properties in the area.
“The removal of over 21ha of native vegetation as a result of this proposal is inconsistent with Council’s strategic planning for the area which to date have supported managing the area for its biodiversity values,” Council said.
It said the threatened species and vegetation integrity had not been adequately assessed, citing Diuris praecox, Cryptostylis hunteriana, the Large Forest Owl, the Squirrel Glider and the Swift Parrots as being of particular concern.
Council also raised concerns over the lack of a Vegetation Management Plan, saying the BDAR (Biodiversity Development Assessment Report) failed to discuss the likely impacts of increased sediment and nutrient loads on riparian vegetation.
It also outlined concerns relating to subdivision planning, road and safety and the possible impacts of a school incorporated into the planning proposal.
