Quietly shelved – Terrigal Lagoon track

A walking track around Terrigal Lagoon which is “shovel ready” has been shelved.

Council says a cost blow out due to environmental constraints including biodiversity credit requirements meant the 50/50 funding agreement with the State Government would not cover the project.

It was originally costed at $1M but the approved design is estimated at $3.7M.

“With no additional funding currently available for the project, as well as other infrastructure priorities Council needs to advance for the region, Council felt the financially responsible decision was to discontinue the project at this time,” Council has said.

People who had given input into the proposal received the advice that “Following discussions between Council and the funding body (Restart NSW) on the feasibility of the Terrigal Lagoon Walking Trail, it has been mutually decided the project will not proceed at this time”.

The walking track around Terrigal Lagoon was approved by the Local Planning Panel in October 2021.

Council proposed to upgrade and extend the existing walking track to about 1.16kms including

• 430m of new elevated boardwalk (land and water based).
• 730m of new concrete path.
• A water watch platform near the marine centre.

When going to the planning panel, the proposal attracted a total of 28 public submissions with 13 in support and 15 objecting to the proposal.

At least one suggested the proposal should be stopped as Council had no funds for the project.

In reply council said funds were available for part of the project.

“The proposal is staged and will be completed subject to future funding sourced through Council’s budget process and grant funding,” the 2021 report said.

Another complained that the proposal was a waste of money and placed too much focus on Terrigal with a lot of money already spent on The Haven boardwalk.

“Tourist promotion should be dispersed across the whole Central Coast not concentrated in Terrigal,” the complainant said.

Now Council has said the project remains shovel ready but it will not be proceeding at this time.

“Concept designs for the project were developed following two rounds of community consultation, however, as the project design and assessments progressed, environmental constraints (biodiversity credit requirements, hydrology requiring boardwalk design through a large section of Coastal Wetland) became apparent,” Council said in messages thanking people for their “continued participation in the Terrigal Lagoon Trail Project”.

“The identified environmental constraints and the associated increase in cost meant the $1 million funding agreement (50/50 split with Council) with Restart NSW was not sufficient,” Council said.

“The estimated new cost of the approved design is approximately $3.7 million.

“With no additional funding currently available for the project, as well as other infrastructure priorities Council needs to advance for the region, Council felt the financially responsible decision was to discontinue the project at this time.”

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