Action Needed: Help Save the Gosford Library Building Before July 24

Dear Petitioners,

I am reaching out to you today because you  signed the petition to save the former Gosford Library building in Kibble Park from demolition and for community use.

Central Coast Council currently has its Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) 2026 out for public exhibition until Friday, July 24. This critical 20-year blueprint sets the land use priorities and infrastructure strategy for our entire region for the next twenty years.

In this comprehensive document, the only mention of heritage for the Gosford Central area is a single line:

"Conserve heritage buildings within Gosford City."

This statement is dangerously vague and weak. It offers zero real protection for the Gosford Library building, nor does it commit Council to restoring or repurposing it for public benefit.

While we have been told the building will receive Local Heritage Listing, listing alone is not enough. High level planning documents like the LSPS must include explicit, active commitments to ensure the site is actively restored rather than left vulnerable to demolition by neglect.

How You Can Help Right Now

We need Council to swap out this shallow, non committal language for a clear planning mandate. When making your submission, please ask Council to replace their weak phrasing with one of the following options: (or create your own wording)

Option 1: "Prioritise the permanent retention, restoration, and adaptive reuse of the former Gosford Library building within Kibble Park, ensuring its transition into a dedicated multi purpose public asset that serves ongoing community, civic, and cultural purposes."

Option 2: "Protect Gosford City’s mid century civic architecture by mandating the structural preservation and refurbishment of the former Gosford Library building at Kibble Park, explicitly restricting the site's future activation exclusively to non commercial, public benefit community uses."

Option 3: "Conserve and restore Gosford City's built heritage, with a primary mandate to protect the former Gosford Library building in Kibble Park for dedicated community use."
Take 5 Minutes to Make a Submission

I urge each of you to lodge a brief formal submission before the public exhibition period closes on Friday, July 24. Demand that Council include explicit protections for the Gosford Library building in the final LSPS.

The DRAFT Plan can be found here:- 

https://www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/draft-central-coast-local-strategic-planning-statement

Lodge your submission with council here:

engageme@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Copying and pasting the above will give you the links. 

 
Together, we can ensure this valuable civic asset remains locked in as a vibrant, protected space for our community.

Thank you for your continued support and advocacy.

Sincerely

Joy Cooper