Editing Wyong Shire (section)

==Warnervale Airport==
In 1972–1973, Wyong Shire Council developed a large site in [[Warnervale, New South Wales|Warnervale]] as an airstrip for light aircraft, which became [[Warnervale Airport]].<ref name=warnervalestudy>{{cite web |title=Project Business Case - Warner vale Airport Development Opportunities Feasibility Study |url=https://cdn.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/Redacted-Warnervale-Airport-Development-Opportunities-Feasibility-Study.pdf |publisher=Wyong Shire Council |access-date=17 December 2020 |date=8 February 2013}}</ref> However, early on in its history, the airport was earmarked as a potential source of economic growth in the region, with the State Government's 1977 Structure Plan for the Gosford-Wyong area designating Warnervale as a regional airport for general aviation, commuter operations and airport related industry.<ref name=warnervalestudy/>

In 1994 Wyong Shire Council opened for expressions of interest in a large redevelopment of the Warnervale area alongside a significant upgrade of the airport, and a proposal by Traders Finance Australia to develop the airport was accepted in January 1995, with contracts being signed in July 1995.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Offner |first1=Steve |title=$6m airport upgrade a big lift to Central Coast |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 April 1994 |page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Wyong airport inquiry move|page=3|work=Newcastle Herald|date=14 October 1999}}</ref> A group of local residents, supported by the state MP for Wyong, [[Paul Crittenden]], responded by forming the Central Coast Airport Action Group, and taking the Wyong Shire Council to the Land and Environment Court to fight the move.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Phelan |first1=Amanda |title=Noise concerns over new airport |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=6 July 1995 |page=3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hogarth |first1=Murray |title=How green was my valley |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 June 1996 |pages=140–141}}</ref>

In the case of ''Jorg Michael Breitkopf v Wyong Council'', which made claims against the validity of the approved Development Application for the airport development, the Court rejected the appeal and ordered payment of costs from Breitkopf, representing the residents group.<ref>{{cite news|title=Locals face costs|last =Phelan |first= Amanda|page=6|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=6 June 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Gretchen |title=Big costs for group |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald - The Northern Herald |date=10 October 1996 |page=83}}</ref> However, Crittenden moved a [[private member's bill]] in parliament which was supported by Planning Minister [[Craig Knowles]], and the {{Cite Legislation AU|NSW|act||Warnervale Airport (Restrictions) Act 1996}} ('WAR Act') was passed in July 1996.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Adamson |first1=Judy |title=Council upset over runway |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=27 June 1996 |page=3}}</ref> This Act restricted aircraft movements, the length and siting of the runway, and any future expansion of airport operations, and compensated residents for $65,000 in legal bills.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bailed out for bill|last=Tucker|first=Scott|page=11|work=Newcastle Herald|date=18 August 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=From sleepy resort to big-growth area|last=Mathers|first=Ken|page=25|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=11 July 1996}}</ref> This Act severely restricted development of the airport by imposing restrictions on landings and take-offs per day that ensured that a longer runway would never be economically viable, with Wyong Mayor Tony Sheridan noting that the delay in the development had "jeopardised hundreds, if not thousands, of local jobs which would be generated by the airport upgrading and the increase in tourism".<ref name=warnervalestudy/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mathers |first1=Ken |title=Wyong - From sleepy resort to big-growth area |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald - The Northern Herald |date=11 July 1996 |page=25}}</ref>

In 1999, the Wyong Shire Council proposed extending the runway to 1600 metres to cater for jet aircraft of between 50 and 116 passengers, but the plans were eventually scrapped in a council meeting in February 2003 and decided instead on other options for development, including assisting the establishment of a $100 million distribution centre for [[Woolworths Limited]] on part of the land initially earmarked for the airport upgrade.<ref>{{cite news|title=Call to clip Wyong wings|last=Tucker| first=Scott| page=20|work=Newcastle Herald|date=30 January 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Airport expansion scrapped|last=Nolan|first=Mark |page=5|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=22 February 2003}}</ref> In 2015 Wyong Shire Council wrote to the Minister for Planning asking for the WAR Act to be reviewed, and publicly advocated for the Act's repeal. This set off a series of NSW Government reviews of the act to determine its future, with the most recent review in April 2020 recommending the repeal of the act.<ref name="WARreview">{{cite web |last1=Goldberg |first1=Abigail |last2=Fiegehen |first2=Peter |title=Review of the Warnervale Airport (Restrictions) Act 1996 |url=https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/-/media/Files/DPE/Reports/Plans-for-your-area/Regional-plans/Central-coast/Report-of-the-2020-Review-of-the-Warnervale-Airport-Restrictions-Act-1996.pdf?la=en |publisher=NSW Department of Planning |access-date=17 December 2020 |date=April 2020}}</ref> With the public release of this review, in July 2020 the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, [[Rob Stokes]], announced the government's acceptance of all the report's recommendations, including the act's repeal, and the ''Warnervale Airport (Restrictions) Repeal Bill 2020'' was passed by the Legislative Assembly on 14 October 2020, receiving [[royal assent]] on 24 February 2021 .<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stokes |first1=Rob |title=Warnervale airport flight cap to be repealed |url=https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/warnervale-airport-flight-cap-to-be-repealed |publisher=NSW Department of Planning |date=28 July 2020 |format=Media Release}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Warnervale Airport (Restrictions) Repeal Bill 2020 |url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bills/Pages/bill-details.aspx?pk=3794 |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |access-date=17 December 2020}}</ref>