This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
THE New South Wales government has capitalised on the Australian Taxation Office’s move to Gosford, by selling the future ATO development site to Canberra developer Doma Group.
The government has carved up a portion of land at the former Gosford public school site on the Central Coast, 76km north of the Sydney.
The sale comes after the federal government selected the Gosford site as its preferred location to house 600 ATO employees from 2017. Under the deal, Doma will pay for the construction costs and the ATO would lease the building for 10 years at a cost of $70 million.
Although Doma has won the job to deliver the new four-level office building, Government Property NSW (GPNSW) CEO Brett Newman and Central Coast Regional Development Corporation (CCRDC) Chairman Graeme Inchley said the deal would be finalised once Doma and the ATO enter into an agreement for the construction and delivery of the new office.
“With the ATO as an anchor tenant, the proposed development will attract wider commercial interest to the site, boosting jobs, spending and economic growth in Gosford,” Inchley said.
The proposed development occupies only part of former school site, which itself is part of the much larger Gosford Waterfront precinct.
According to the 2014 Gosford Waterfront Development Control Plan, it is proposed that the Waterfront precinct will include a waterfront Cultural Hub (on Crown Land adjacent to the former school site), as well as waterfront parklands.
Inchley said the opportunities for the Waterfront precinct including the Cultural Hub and ATO office building will play an important role in revitalising Gosford.
Newman said the sale process for the portion of the former school site is part of the GPNSW’s strategy to offload surplus land.
“By carefully managing the sale process, GPNSW has been able to deliver the former Gosford school site as the location of the new ATO premises, bringing 600 ongoing jobs for the region, and a much wider economic boost,” he added.
Newman said the GPNSW is reviewing options for the remaining portion of the Mann St site.
Australian Property Journal
