Draft Warnervale District Contributions Plan

A comprehensive review of the current Warnervale District Contributions Plan has been undertaken to:

• reduce the complexity of the plan
• review infrastructure costs
• review land valuations
• review contribution rates
• reposition some infrastructure works to state level for delivery (via a State Infrastructure Contribution)
• include new facilities for the proposed rezoning at South Wadalba

The current Warnervale District Contributions plan has been updated to reflect revised infrastructure costs, land values and contribution rates to ensure adequate and fair funding in accordance with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. 

The Warnervale District Contributions Plan has been prepared in accordance with section 7.11 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and in accordance with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000.  
The Plan:

• determines what local infrastructure is required based on population growth
• sets out how contributions are calculated
• lists specific local infrastructure that will be provided by the plan and its location
• outlines how the contributions will be managed 
• ensures the value of the infrastructure work reflects the cost at the time works will be delivered (through quarterly changes to the consumer price index)

• Local transport network upgrades
• Drainage works 
• Acquisition of drainage land
• Parks and playing fields  
• Community facilities
• Environmental corridor land and works 
• Floodplain restoration works 

• The Contributions Plan identifies a number of catchments for the different categories of infrastructure and services set out in the plan. These catchments are used to calculate contribution rates for all types of development. The amended plan has reduced the number of drainage catchments from 41 to 1.  
• Community Facilities, Open Space and Studies Catchments have been reduced from 7 catchments to 1.  The number of road and intersections catchments has also been reduced from 15 to 5. These amendments will make it easier for developers and the community to determine a contribution rate for their development. 
• Updated cost estimates for transport (by a Quantity Surveyor), community facilities and open space embellishment
• New land valuations for the proposed land acquisitions.
• Additionally, the plan proposes to deliver a range of infrastructure for the growing Warnervale District including the addition of three new road intersections, new public reserves and new stormwater infrastructure in Wadalba South.  
• An indoor recreation centre is included but can only be partially funded under the local plan. Council will be seeking grant funding support from the state and federal government to deliver this local and regionally significant infrastructure.
• The state infrastructure works in Warnervale such as the new Link Road and upgrades to Sparks Road and the Pacific Highway intersections are the responsibility of the state government and have been removed from the plan.  The state government collects funds for state infrastructure through their Special Infrastructure Contributions.

This Plan applies to the Warnervale District and includes the suburbs of Warnervale, Woongarrah, Hamlyn Terrace, Wadalba, Halloran and parts of Wyong, Jilliby, Kanwal, and Wallarah.

A review of Council’s contribution plans is underway with the preparation of the Regional Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2019 completed (came into force 22 May 2020) and the Works In Kind Policy and Guidelines have been prepared and will be reported back to Council shortly following public exhibition. 

The review and updating of plans and policies provides a framework for responsible, transparent and fair governance but also creates clear guidelines to ensure essential services and infrastructure are delivered for a constantly growing region.  

The existing contributions plans are available on Council’s website.

Development contributions (also known as local infrastructure contributions) are charged by Council when new development occurs.  These contributions fund local infrastructure needed to support an increased number of residents in the area.

This type of local infrastructure includes local roads, stormwater and drainage, shared pathways, parks, playspaces or other recreational areas, environmental land and community facilities.
Contributions may be in the form of cash payments, transfer or dedication of land (such as land for a new park), works in kind or the provision of public amenities or services not included in a contributions plan.

The NSW Government sets the legislation and policy framework for how Council collects and administers contributions, which is governed by the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.   

Council administers the local infrastructure contributions system for the Central Coast region.  

Contributions plans outline Council's policy for assessing, collecting, spending and administering development contributions and describe what infrastructure is needed and how the funding is assigned over an area.  

There are two types of local infrastructure contributions - Section 7.11 contributions and Sections 7.12 contributions.

The Warnervale Plan has been developed in accordance with Section 7.11 of the  Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act).

Council prepares Section 7.11 Contributions Plans for existing and new areas to help provide community infrastructure such as play spaces, community facilities, safe roads and shared pathways and enhanced stormwater facilities such as constructed wetlands for the increased population.

The Section 7.11 Contributions Plan lists all the proposed new works and facilities and provides a cost for the items.  When land is subdivided or built on, a contribution is charged so that the new services can be provided.

To levy contributions under a Section 7.11 contributions plan, the plan must identify a clear relationship between the expected development and the demonstrated need for the public infrastructure. The contribution rate varies between different contributions plans as the contribution rate is determined generally by the cost of the facilities to be provided and the expected development within the contributions plan.

Central Coast Council has a number of Section 7.11 contributions plans across our Local Government Area that apply to specific areas, which are available to view on Council’s website. 

Further information is available on Council’s website centralcoast.nsw.gov.au, or contact Council’s Customer Contact Section on 1300 463 954 or ask@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au.