In November 2003 two community strategic planning workshops were held for the community of the Central Coast Plateau and were facilitated by the Department of State and Regional Development. In total over 240 people attended comprising local community and business members, representatives from local, state and federal government and industry groups. Topics of discussion included identifying a vision for the future, economic and tourism development and environmental sustainability.
During the workshops it was identified that a local Chamber of Commerce was needed due to the diversity of businesses in the area. This was the highest voted action derived from the strategic planning workshops.
Expressions of interest were sought via the local Community News and in April 2005 the Chamber officially began. During the first few meetings the Management Committee discussed how best to support the local business community and agreed that the Chamber needed to remain relevant to the community, realistic about what they could do and remain proactive.
The main objective of the Chamber is to 'have a balanced and commonsense approached to business and community issues'.
Early in 2007 we held a community Strategic Planning Workshop which was attended by around 100 interested people. The overwhelming outcome of the workshop was that the community wanted a viable future for farming in this area.
There are a number of pressures affecting the long term sustainability and viability of the farming industry on the Plateau. Traditional industries such, as citrus, and poultry meat growers have contracted and/or rationalized due to competitive and other factors. Urban encroachment is occurring, sometimes converting highly productive agricultural land to marginal agricultural activities or non-agricultural activities. Increases in land values render land too expensive for new entrants and alternatively they can also place pressure on existing primary producers to capitalize on them and exit the industry.
As a result, the Central Coast Plateau Chamber of Commerce is committed to protecting the long term future of agriculture on the Plateau including:
- Promote financially and environmentally sustainable farming practices
- The preservation of existing activities
- Attraction of new operators and industries
- Introduction of agribusiness models
We have been successful in obtaining support from Gosford City Council, NSW Department of Planning, Central
Coast branch of NSW Farmers and the Department of Primary Industries to investigate the feasibility of an Agribusiness Park at the old Somersby Research Centre.
Much of the work of the Committee
has been focused on this issue, but not to the exclusion of others such as:
