Local businesses to be proud of

This time of the year is the season for Awards, all the business and industry associations hold their annual awards recognising excellence and achievement.

Some are popularity contests run by organisations for their own self-interest. Others are genuine in that they engage people who know what they are talking about as judges.

In recent months the Hunter division of the Housing Industry Association ran their awards with Umina based builder, Evolving Construction taking out the Hunter Home of the Year Award while other Central Coast builders, Valletta Homes, Planit Kitchens, Turrell Building Services and Blairbuild took out other major awards.

The Australian Hotels Association NSW 2023 Awards for Excellence saw the Hotel Gosford win the Best Regional Local and Best Regional Casual Dining Awards while Drifters Wharf on the Gosford Waterfront won the Best Live Music Venue.

Thie 2023 Hunter Manufacturers’ Awards saw two Central Coast manufacturers successful against manufacturers from the Hunter, North Coast and Central Coast, a huge manufacturing area.

Craig de Leon owner of Elecbrakes took out the Manufacturing Leader Award and Janus Electric the Outstanding Start-p Award.

Most of these winners will go on to the national awards of their associations.

We wish them well.

The point is, of course, that these winners were up against stiff competition and shone through.

There are many businesses on the Central Coast that strive for excellence in everything they do, and this is why they are successful. 

They are businesses that we should be proud of and should support.

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This month the Presidents of the three major Chambers of Commerce have come together to call on the State Government to fix the state’s broken planning system.

Prior to the Minns Labor Government coming into office in March NSW had a Liberal government for twelve years.

Twelve years which saw this state’s planning system turned into a nightmare for everyone who had anything to do with getting a house built.  From getting residential sub-divisions approved to getting an approval for a house on a single block.

Eight separate government agencies had to sign off on every Development Application before the local council had their say.

For anyone wanting to build a garage, a house or a factory councils had the final say.

Here on the Central Coast our Council (In Administration) used every opportunity and trick in the book to delay or reject a Development Application.

In far too many cases Council will knock back an application on some spurious grounds that sees the applicant forced to go the Land and Environment Court.

There are, at present over 40 cases before the Court.

The result is that the cost of getting through this minefield must be passed on to the end user.

However, that is only the start.

The Central Coast’s population grew by approximately 34,415 residents in the decade to 2021 – an increase of 11 per cent – and this is projected to grow by almost 3,000 residents a year through to 2041.

This equates to around 1,630 dwellings per year.

This will never happen with the attitude of Central Coast Council.

Homelessness which is growing in our region at an alarming rate is an evil blight on our society.

Premier Minns and his planning minister must fix our planning system without any delay.

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Finally, may we at CCBR wish our readers, our advertisers, and our subscribers and very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

As we enter our 34^th year of publication we look forward to continuing to serve and support the Central Coast’s business community.