The Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation has lodged plans with Newcastle council to subdivide its remaining land in Honeysuckle, revealing the exact size of two large parcels earmarked for development.
A development application submitted to the council this week proposes subdividing two lots covering 4.19 hectares into 11 lots, the majority of which will be public domain areas progressively transferred to the council.
The subdivision mostly mirrors a concept in the foreshore public domain plan the corporation released in 2019, which earmarked two large parcels of land either side of Honeysuckle Drive for future development.
The subdivision's approval will pave the way for HCCDC to divest those two lots.
The DA shows the harbourside parcel of land, known as the Throsby precinct, will be 2.18 hectares.
The parcel adjacent to the light rail depot, known as the Wickham precinct, is 9933 square metres. It includes the former Wickham School of Arts building, which various parties including lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes and state MP Tim Crakanthorp want retained as part of any redevelopment.
The corporation lodged a DA to demolish multiple structures around the old school in December.
It includes repairs to the school building, which the corporation's CEO Valentina Misevska said would give it "the best opportunity to be re-purposed as part of a future development".
The corporation is also close to releasing a summary report of community consultation conducted last year about what the Throsby precinct lot could be used for.
After the consultation ended in October, the Newcastle Heraldreported the range of ideas put forward for the site including a convention centre, botanic garden and waterpark. The lot has mixed-use zoning, while the Wickham precinct is zoned for commercial purposes.
Meanwhile, work is progressing on the construction of Honeysuckle Park in front of the Lume apartments.
The park forms part of what will be a harbourside stretch of public space in front of the development sites on Honeysuckle Drive.
The park is expected to unveiled midyear, but the full foreshore space will not be reopened until further public domain and promenade works are completed.
They are expected to commence later this year.
"Honeysuckle is changing, and HCCDC is working to create an enviable waterfront destination that attracts people to live, work and play in the amazing precinct," a HCCDC spokesperson said.
