The Community Environment Network (CEN) has thanked Central Coast Council Administrator, Mr Rik Hart, for making it clear that he will not be reclassifying Community Land as part of Council’s asset sales program “unless absolutely necessary”. “Those were Mr Hart’s words and CEN will do our best to hold him…

CEN has ranked the operational assets that Central Coast Council has put forward as potentially for sale from most suitable to least. Read here for the full story. Page 1                                          …

Saturday, June 5, is World Environment Day and the Community Environment Network (CEN) is inviting all Central Coast residents to do something positive for the environment by planting a tree. It may shock the community to learn that each month locals make applications to Council to remove around 40 trees…

Join Central Coast Waterwatch on Friday, 4 June 2021 at 10am to celebrate World Environment Day. Come on a guided walk along the Berkeley Vale foreshore and learn about your local waterway and wetland ecosystems with Central Coast Council’s Estuary Management Officer. Learn about the work being done by Council…

Proposed amendments to the State Significant Development (SSD) at 89 John Whiteway Drive, Gosford, although welcome, will not address the excessive bulk and scale of the proposal or the substantial loss of vegetation, according to the Community Environment Network (CEN). “The developer has argued the former quarry on the site…

The Community Environment Network (CEN) has called for audits and penalties to stop excessive development variations through over-use of Clause 4.6 of the Standard Instrument LEP (NSW’s uniform planning tool). In its submission to the Review of Clause 4.6 of the Standard Instrument LEP, CEN said the use (and abuse)…

The Community Environment Network (CEN) has urged the NSW Government to integrate National Pollution Inventory (NPI) data with known rates of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI) on the Central Coast to measure the full impact of power station fallout on the local population. CEN Executive member, Mr Mike Campbell OAM,…

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s recent announcement on the Central Coast that his government will spend a total of $539 million on five hydrogen hubs and carbon capture projects will not be sufficient to handle the climate emergency. Climate Future Chair, Mr Richard Weller, said “We do need a hydrogen industry…

The Central Coast Community Better Planning Group (CCCBPG) and the Community Environment Network (CEN) have urged NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, The Hon Rob Stokes MP, to refuse a planning proposal from Central Coast Council. Chair of CCCBPG and Executive Member of CEN, Mr Gary Chestnut, said he…

The Community Environment Network (CEN) has welcomed the decision by Central Coast Council to give the community three weeks to provide feedback on its plan to reclassify, rezone and then sell off 27 lots of community land. “This proposed land sale includes parcels from Norah Head and Toukley in the…

The Central Coast Community Better Planning Group (CCCBPG) has called for a review of the population growth projections for the northern area of the Central Coast due to recommendations from the NSW Legislative Council’s report Costs for remediation of sites containing coal ash repositories and the limited water exchange of…

CEN has made the following submission to Central Coast Council regarding its recent exhibition of maps related to a proposed Conservation Agreement with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) which should see the wetland protected permanently. CEN has been advocating for the permanent protection of Porters Creek Wetland for the…

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Unlawful and substantial environmental damage - illegal mountain bike activity in council-owned reserves is causing substantial environmental damage that needs to be addressed but we do not believe that opening up reserves as sanctioned local or regional mountain bike facilities is the answer. Discussion paper omissions – not enough information…

Do you know somebody who has… stood their ground at the crease...deflected the assault from their opponents...and remained steadfast in protecting their wicket…. all in the interests of the environment? Then we would like to acknowledge them as part of the team. CEN is calling for nominations for the following…

The Central Coast Council's consultation for the Mountain Bike Feasibility Study Discussion Paper closes on Monday, 22 March, 2021. It's not too late to make a submission. If you feel strongly about the need to protect biodiversity in Central Coast Council's reserves, particularly in COSS lands, use our submission template…

The Community Environment Network supports mountain biking but we are concerned about its suitability in the Coastal Open Space System (COSS). That is why we are urging our members, supporters and the broader community to oppose, via Central Coast Council's Your Voice Our Coast website, any plans to build new…

The CEN is an alliance of community and environment groups from Lake Macquarie, Wyong and Gosford. We are a non-profit organisation working to protect and improve our local environment. The aims and objectives of CEN are as follows:• to increase effectiveness of community groups • to be a regional voice on…

The Coastal Open Space System (COSS) is a network of reserves supporting natural vegetation that are managed by Gosford Council for a number of environmental and community values. COSS lands provide important ecological habitats (or homes) and essential linkages (wildlife corridors) for diverse fauna and flora. These natural areas are…

Whenever I go into the CEN office located at Ourimbah campus, to attend meetings or catch up on tasks as the volunteer in chief, I am always greeted by the wonderful energy of community members in our centre.  It is great to catch up with staff and the inspirational work…