Gosford CBD Eco-village
Return to Suburban Bushland Living
with
Sustainable Ecological Innovations
By
Soo Man Heng
Contact
02-43627983
041-3323106
E-mail:- ecoculture@optusnet.com.au
Gosford CBD Eco-village?
Can it happen?
A seemingly impossible return to a satisfying
and secured suburban way of
living has become possible without
compromising environmental values.
Commute to Sydney within only walking
distance to Gosford rail station, own solar
power and still raise your own veggies
amongst a bush land setting with endless
water supply. Almost unheard of.
Sounds too good to be true
but it IS possible.
Location: Gosford CBD Eco-village
• Last 17yrs the Soo family owns a pristine fish farm,
behind Gosford Showgrounds &Gosford Golf-course
• The 10 acre rural (1a) site - within walking distance to:
• Gosford CBD, rail/bus station, schools, recreational
facilities, hospitals clubs, workplaces, shopping
centres etc.
• Public utilities e.g., road access, electricity, water, gas,
communication and sewage are at the doorstep,
waiting for the right connection to complement an
almost self-sufficient lifestyle.
Proposed site:
Gosford CBD Eco-village
Site Zoning History
• 1968 zoned 5(a)Special Uses – Sewage
Treatment Works – Operation closed in 1978
• From1978 to 1990 the site was vacant
• Soo bought it in 1990 for Aquaculture
• 18/9/90 rezoned to 1(a) Rural-LEP No 259
(Aquaculture) from then
• Applied only biological remediation to purified
the sludge lagoons – sludge reduced >90%
Council’s Rezoning Requirements
• Contamination report – the NSW Dept of Health
permission to set-up Oyster Depuration Plant
on site is testimony to its cleanliness.
• Flood assessment meets 1 in 100 yrs flood
• Flora and fauna assessment
• Traffic report
(Detail report anticipated to exceed Council’s
requirements in the final submission.)
Objectives of proposed Gosford CBD
ECO-village?
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An integrated and secured suburban settlement for
People who strongly desired to live in
Low eco-impact – sustainable life-style with
Affordable, comfortable and fire-resistant housing.
Residents united by common intention to
Abide by eco. & socio-economic values to
Employ permaculture, solar energy, recycled water,
rain water storage and GECA Good Environmental Choice Australia) building
products to
• Establish an environmentally responsible housing
project and a Permaculture Centre for future
generations.
Aerial view of proposed site showing proximity to
Gosford CBD, Hospital, Rail & Bus Station etc.
Design principles for proposed
Gosford CBD Eco-village
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Land use upgrade from aquaculture to bushland setting
Sustainable water supply assurance with separate pipelines
Reduced sewage effluent discharge by at least 80%
Provide wetland storage >20ML & rain water storage >2ML
Substantial reduction of residential organic garbage >95%
Garden/food waste recycled in worm farm – for conversion to:
Organic fertilisers to sustain permaculture programme
Solar energy to significantly replace non-renewals
Use GECA building materials with low embodied energy
Encourage social cohesion & extended family life-style
Develop community recreational and child-care facilities
Proposed layout for Gosford CBD
Eco-village
Estimated level of self- sufficiency
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Domestic energy > 80% - pv solar & hot water
Town water for drinking/ablution- 50%
Washing/toilet water – 100% rain/bore water
Outdoor untreated water – 200% Golf-course
Organic fertilisers–100% food waste/worm farm
Organic vegies/fruits – 100% - Permaculture
Honey/chicken/fish - <10% Bee-hives/wetland
Reduced transport emissions/energy-walking
distance to public transport, schools and CBD.
Eco-houses for future-living in
Gosford CBD Eco-village
• Fire resistant, sound insulated, six star energy rated Hebel AAC
houses in secured bushland setting
• 28 clusters of 2 x 3-level North-facing, passive energy, flats
• Built – to attain privacy, warmth & optimise land use for
• Wetland, worm farm, permaculture garden, water storage, safe
recreational facilities and animal corridors
• Convenient pipe-in gas supply
• Roof rain water collector
• Each unit has separate town and rain water pipeline, grey water
and sewage pipeline and
• Renewable passive solar energy, active solar pv grid connected
and hot water systems
Estimation of responsible land use
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Housing strata----------------------------- 15%
Roads-----------(Owned in common)- 15%
Wetland habitat & water storage--”-- 15%
Wildlife corridors--------------”----------- 5%
Permaculture, worm and bee farm -”--16%
Home-occupation--------------”----------- 4%
Gardens & open space-------”----------- 15%
Play grounds, community facilities--”- 15%
Total Area
100%
Benefits to the residents
• Lower energy and water bills
• Guaranteed life-long water supply
• Bus/rail transport, schools, shopping centres,
hospitals, golf-course, clubs, show-ground,
sport-fields and CBD within walking distance,
• Permaculture garden to grow own organic food
• Organised community transport
• Bottom line is more savings to repay mortgage
Environmental Sustainability Targets for
a “Healthy living Society”
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Grid connected solar power & hot-water system to
Sequestrate about 1000tons of CO2 and
Produced nearly 900,000kWh renewable energy per yr
Roof top rain collection and water storage supplement
>7 ML of water per year for washing clothes,
Bidet and toilet flushing will conserve
About 10,000 rolls of toilet papers to reduce sewage overload.
Grey water recovery >22ML of water for plants & golf course irrigation
100 tons / yr food waste - produce 100 tons organic fertiliser to
Generate 50-80 tons of permaculture food crops by residents
Worm-farm provides feed for chicken and fish
Bees help pollination and >1000kgs of honey per year
Private transport expense substantially reduce with co-op car pool
Healthy walking exercise to schools and public transport will increase
Benefits to the community
• Available affordable and durable housing
• Gosford CBD Eco-village help residents
generate savings in:
• Transport, water, electricity, gas, food etc.
• Less waste provides more for everybody
• Help improve community social cohesion and
ecological life-style
• Power for Eco-community to initiate sustainable
ecological, economic and social changes to
achieve environmental balance & harmony.
Estimated Number of beneficiaries in
proposed Gosford CBD Eco-village
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56 young families
56 middle age families
112 seniors
A total of 350-400 people could be
provided with ecologically sustainable
homes in bushland village setting almost
within the heartland of Gosford CBD.
Benefits to Council
• 2ML rainwater storage tank saves Council more
than $200,000 in water tank subsidies and
connection fees.
• Increase rates collection by >$118,000/yr
• Inject >$3million into the City’s economy/yr
• Residents in Gosford CBD Eco-village has the
smallest ecological foot-print in the City
• A genuine urbane eco-village in Gosford
Future Vision
• Cohesive community - prepared to share
knowledge of sustainable living with others
• Establish Central Coast Permaculture
Centre - a think tank for developing:• Practical permaculture designs,
• Promotion of renewable domestic energy
• Unique Bio-recycling system of used water
• Design & construction of Eco-housing.
Please consider
Previous thinking that simply selling
resources brings revenue are seriously
outdated.
We need a better model akin to a circular
economy that is built-into this project
An improved housing paradigm that will lead
us into a robust and sustainable future.
Purpose and aim
• Soo Man Heng has a sole purpose in introducing time proven
principles of sustainability into the local economy. Principles
which have a firm scientific credentials portray his background.
Soo’s credentials are impeccable as he has three university
degrees to his name
• He has proven his point by his successful redemption of the
Gosford Sewage Treatment Plant, some 17 years earlier
turning it into a lucrative fish farm. Previous sludge ponds from
earlier years have become a mecca for birds, after recovering
it from a previous ecological wasteland.
• He proposes the planning and development of a small ecovillage community within walking distance of the Gosford CBD.
• This community will be close to 100% self sustaining and
carbon neutral, a positive venture to help us cope with the
fragile future.
Statement by Peter Adderley