The Scentre Group and its partners have presented a proposal for the redevelopment of their Westfield Tuggerah site as well as transformation of the broader town centre.

The $2.8 billion proposal to transform the area into a major hub of employment, transport, leisure, health and education has become the core focus of a Heads of Agreement signed recently.

While $2.1 billion will be allocated for the redevelopment and expansion of Westfield Tuggerah, $700 million will be spent on infrastructure works in the surrounding area.

The proposal will now be examined by the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC), Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (Darkinjung) and Scentre Group. The proposed project covers 70.85 hectares owned by Scentre Group and potentially land owned by Darkinjung.

Minister for planning and housing Anthony Roberts who made the Heads of Agreement announcement, described the proposal as potential game-changer for the northern section of the Central Coast.

He explained that the project, with 18 hectares of parkland, new dwellings, a transport interchange, new health and education services, and expanded retail and leisure offerings, had the potential to shape how people live, work, play and move around the area.

The new hub would create significant opportunity for local people to have local jobs, instead of spending hours every week commuting to and from work, he said.

More than 10,000 construction jobs are expected to be created over the project’s 35-year life, in addition to 2,700 ongoing jobs into the future.

Minister for transport and infrastructure Andrew Constance said $700 million will be spent for the complete overhaul of Tuggerah Train Station to build an integrated transport interchange and associated town centre infrastructure and high streets.

The proposed interchange reflects the importance of integrated, efficient transport in building thriving, liveable cities, enabling people to rely on a seamless public transport network instead of their cars.

Darkinjung Chairperson Matthew West says, “This is an unparalleled opportunity for Darkinjung to achieve both social and economic gains for our communities and ensure that future development is sensitive to the significance of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.”