Council to spend $13.8M in capital works next year
Central Coast Council plans to spend $13.8 million in capital works on the Peninsula over the next financial year, according to its $1.09 billion draft 2025-26 budget.
The draft budget foreshadows spending $81.7 million on the Peninsula over four years, with four projects taking more than $68.2 million, more than 80 per cent, of this.
The four projects are the $42.7 million Ocean Beach Rd intersection upgrade at Rawson Rd, $20.1 million to be spent on Woy Woy tip, $3.84 million to upgrade Patonga Camping Ground and $2.58 million on the Peninsula Leisure Centre.
Unlike previous years, the budget does not show whether the projects are funded from government grants, from council rates, from developer contributions or from other sources.
This year, more than half of the identified $13.8 million for Peninsula capital works goes to just two projects, with $5.38 million to be spent on the Rawson Rd intersection and $1.73 million to be spent on the Peninsula Leisure Centre.
Other large allocations will see $870,000 spent to upgrade the James Browne oval carpark, $800,000 on the Rip Rd Reserve seawall renewal and $730,000 on the Woy Woy tip.
Renewal of The Esplanade at Ettalong has been allocated $685,000, Woy Woy waterfront park redevelopment $589,879 and Woy Woy public baths upgrade $500,000 with another $513,000 the following year.
The Patonga camping ground has been allocated $530,000, which includes a start on a roads and drainage upgrade.
Other expenditure includes awning replacement at Umina Surf Life Saving Club, and $240,000 on lighting and office renewal at Peninsula Theatre, while the Umina childcare centre is allocated $113,000 and another $300,000 the following year.
The playground at Peninsula Recreation Precinct will receive $50,000 for renewal, with another $550,000 foreshadowed for the following year.
Footpath lighting at Woy Woy oval has been allocated $15,000, with another $335,000 for the following year.
No footpaths are listed for construction.
Sewer pump station renewal on The Esplanade at Umina and in Horsfield Bay have each been allocated $300,000, with a further $1.3 million each the following year.
Aerator replacement at the sewage treatment plant in Woy Woy has been allocated $685,000.
Foreshadowed expenditure includes one million dollars in 2028-29 allocated for "remediation" of the closed landfill tips beneath Rogers Park, James Browne oval and Austin Butler oval.
An allocation of $1.74 million over three years starting 2026 has been made for the Mt Ettalong Lookout upgrade.
The identified $13.8 million of Peninsula projects represent less than 4.5 per cent of total capital works program of more than $315 million for a population is about 11 per cent of the region's population.
The capital works expenditure itself represents less than 31.5 per cent of the total budget, with the other $774 million being "operational" expenditure, which is only described in the broadest general terms.
SOURCE:
Website, 2 May 2025
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