The former bus depot next to Newcastle Station will become a paved plaza with a bandstand and light installations under NSW government plans for the site.
Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation has lodged development applications with City of Newcastle for the $6.7 million landscaping project and a $4.1 million waterfront park at Honeysuckle.
The former completes the Market Street Lawn from Queens Wharf to The Station, as it has been branded, and converts the bus depot into a wide public space integrated into the former platforms.
The landscaping includes "light and mist installations", raised plant beds with feature trees and ground planting, bluestone and granite paving, seating and "heritage and indigenous interpretative elements".
The plans include two sets of granite insets mimicking the heavy rail tracks which once ran to the station.
HCCDC hopes to start work in 2020.
The corporation has installed shops in the station buildings and opened the platforms for markets and other events as a temporary use of the site before it settles on an "end use" next year.
Planning documents in the development application say the landscaping will enhance the heritage significance of the site and improve view lines to the station's heritage-listed buildings.
The landscaped precinct will contribute to the adaptive re-use of the site for commercial purposes, and heritage items will be enhanced with architectural landscape design.
Planning report
"The landscaped precinct will contribute to the adaptive re-use of the site for commercial purposes, and heritage items will be enhanced with architectural landscape design," it says.
The Honeysuckle plans are for a landscaped park on 5000 square metres of land in front of Doma Group's Lume apartment building, now under construction in Honeysuckle Drive.
They include a harbour-side promenade, children's play area, sheltered barbecues and picnic tables, seating, trees, grass areas and sandstone steps leading down to the water.
The park will connect with more landscaping near Cottage Creek and west to the Wickham marina.
Meanwhile, the government has called for expressions of interest in the latest grant round of the Newcastle Port Community Contribution Fund.
The $1 million fund is open to community groups, state government agencies and landholders for projects and events which benefit the port environment.
The fund has distributed almost $4 million since the port was privatised in 2014, including money for The Flyer public art installation at Newcastle Station, Stockton skate park, the Nobbys beach pavilion renovation, Honeysuckle Winter Heat Festival and the Chinese Lantern Walk.
Grants are available from $10,000 to $500,000. Applications close on October 7.
