15 July 2026
The NSW Independent Planning Commission has today approved the Mingara Recreation Club Seniors Housing development (SSD-63475709) located at 14 Mingara Drive, Tumbi Umbi in the Central Coast Local Government Area. The site is part of the ‘Mingara Precinct’ that also includes the Mingara Recreation Club, a hotel, the Mingara Regional Athletics Centre and development consent for a childcare centre.
The Trustee for Pariter Mingara Unit Trust (Applicant), sought approval for the construction of a seniors housing development comprising 13 x 2-storey buildings and 4 x 6 to 7-storey residential flat buildings providing 215 independent living units, 39 residential care facility beds, communal areas and 309 car parking spaces and reconfigured athletics centre parking and access arrangements.
This State significant development (SSD) application was referred to the NSW Independent Planning Commission for determination as the Minister for Planning and Public Space’s delegate.
The two-member Commission Panel, comprising Suellen Fitzgerald (Chair) and Alexandra O’Mara met with key stakeholders, conducted a site inspection and locality tour, received 115 written submissions, and held a public meeting where they heard from 15 speakers.
In its Statement of Reasons for Decision, the Commission found that the Application will increase housing diversity on the Central Coast, provide additional housing choice for older residents and respond to the changing needs of the region’s ageing population.
- The Commission considered concerns raised about impacts of the development, with many submissions relating to the existing Mingara Regional Athletics Centre parking, traffic and safety arrangements. The Commission has imposed a range of conditions of consent to minimise impacts of the project, including requiring the Applicant to:
- upgrade the athletics centre entrance and associated entrance parking and access facilities prior to the commencement of the seniors housing development;
- in consultation with users of the athletics centre, prepare a revised Event Traffic Management Plan (ETMP) that addresses all types of events held within the track, traffic management, parking, pedestrian safety, overflow parking arrangements and measures to encourage sustainable transport;
- monitor car parking demand, traffic management arrangements, capacity, utilisation and availability within the Mingara Precinct (once the existing grassed overflow car park is closed) for a period of three months; and
- review the ETMP annually, with ongoing input from athletics centre users, to ensure the ongoing adequacy of parking capacity within the precinct.
All documents relating to the assessment and determination of this proposal can be found on the Commission’s website: https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/cases/mingara-recreation-club-seniors-housing.