The Central Coast Housing Strategy Existing Conditions Report used the council's "social planning districts", of which the Peninsula is one, "where local analysis has been undertaken".

Details provided in the report provide a profile of the Peninsula, both in its own right and in comparison to other areas of the Central Coast.

The report is currently open for comment.

The report identified the Peninsula as one centre where the elderly population is "most concentrated".

"Residents aged 50 years and older are the fastest growing age group, which made up 33 per cent of the Central Coast population in 2001, growing to 41 per cent of the population in 2016.

"This population was most concentrated in the Peninsula (among other) areas.

"Data available from Inside AirBNB indicates that there are significant volumes of larger residences in coastal areas being used as short-term rental accommodation, which would further exacerbate occupancy rates.

"The impact of this is most pronounced in the Coastal, Peninsula and Then Entrance districts."

"Those dwellings identified as unoccupied were significantly clustered, with four districts recording occupancy rates above the average, the Coastal District (21 per cent unoccupied), The Entrance (20 per cent unoccupied), Mountains (18 per cent) and Peninsula (14 per cent) and are likely to be associated with holiday accommodation and second homes."

The report noted: "At the 2016 Census, the largest social planning district by population was The Peninsula (36,119 residents).

The Peninsula was not shown as among the most densely populated, perhaps because around half the district included Brisbane Water National Park which is unpopulated."

The Peninsula shared a high median age of around 46 with three other districts.

"Residents aged 65 and older were most concentrated in the Toukley (27.9 per cent), Northern Lakes (26.9 per cent) and Peninsula (26.5 per cent) districts.

"The concentration in The Peninsula district was matched by the highest total of 1345 residents aged 65 and over requiring assistance with core activities.

"Medium density dwellings ... are found in established centres along the coast and inland, most significantly in Gosford Central (34 per cent), The Entrance (30 per cent) and The Peninsula (29 per cent)."

Medium density dwellings were defined as "all semi-detached, row, terrace, townhouses and villa units, plus flats and apartments in blocks of one or two storeys, and flats attached to houses".

"Gosford Central recorded the highest proportion of lone person households, with 35.6 per cent of all households, followed by the Peninsula, The Entrance and Toukley districts all on approximately 31 per cent, above the LGA average of 28.3 per cent.

"There was extreme divergence in median household incomes between the districts.

"Toukley ($954), Gorokan ($1,024) and the Peninsula ($1,049) districts recorded the lowest median household incomes.

"Some districts medians were more than twice that of others, reinforcing the very different socioeconomic natures of their respective communities.

"The social planning districts with the most significant proportions of rental dwellings were Gosford Central (30 per cent), The Entrance (29 per cent) and the Peninsula (27 per cent).

"Of these, Gorokan recorded the highest proportion (42 per cent) of rental properties in stress.

"The Peninsula and Toukley districts were slightly below on 40 per cent.

"These were all well above the Central Coast average of 36 per cent."

The report used liveability measures which showed "a notable preponderance of areas with high liveability scores in the Peninsula".

"This district is an established urban area, with a relatively (even?) distribution of services and centres of various sizes over its area, affording good access to services and amenities overall.

"The area benefits from access to significant waterways, beaches and other natural assets."

Feedback will be accepted by Central Coast Council until February 28.

SOURCE:

Website, 1 Feb 2022

Draft Local Housing Strategy, YourVoiceOurCoast

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