The Chinese owners of Old Sydney Town have lodged yet another planning proposal to have the 118ha site rezoned to include 256 residential housing lots.

The latest rezoning bid seeks to divvy up the 118ha site roughly into thirds comprised of 30 per cent tourism, business and employment lands, 30 per cent conservation and 30 per cent housing.

Under the latest proposal the Australian Reptile Park, which occupies a part of the site on a long-term lease, would be retained along with some of the former Old Sydney Town buildings as part of an expanded tourism offering so long as the residential subdivision went ahead.

World Cultural Tourism Village Pty Ltd purchased the abandoned theme park site for $20m in 2018 with plans to revive the once popular attraction.

But not long after the acquisition the company — owned by Chinese nationals Tao Sun, 50, of Lindfield and Wenbiao Li, 52, of Willetton, Western Australia — made it clear that a residential component would be necessary to financially support any revival of the beloved nostalgic theme park.

It lodged an initial rezoning proposal in 2020 that sought mixed-use development with various

zones including low and medium residential, tourist, environmental and public recreation.

Under that proposal housing lot sizes ranged from 600sq m to 1500sq m.

In 2023 it lodged an amended proposal for 540 housing lots, before filing a further amendment in October last year for 320 lots including 252 small lots and 68 semirural blocks.

That proposal also included other uses such as tourism, a hotel, Indigenous centre, amenities and artist village, neighbourhood centre and conservation areas.

However Central Coast Council and relevant state government agencies have repeatedly rejected such plans outright on the basis the land is not suitable for suburban housing because it is too close to industrial land and too far away from essential services such as schools, shops or public transport.

“Since 2020, the proposal has been under ongoing assessment,” a report to council’s Local Planning Panel states.

“Various requests for additional information have been issued including multiple referrals to internal council officers and state agencies and numerous different development concepts have been discussed.

“While council did not consider the site appropriate for residential, the applicant continued

to advocate for a residential outcome.”

Council planners state while proposals to increase tourism on the site have “merit” introducing a suburban population next to an industrial area increases the potential for noise, traffic, lighting and other complaints.

“The introduction of 256 lots in this location has the potential to undermine the ongoing viability of adjoining industrial operations, particularly those operating on a 24-hour basis,” the report to the Local Planning Panel states.

“Council does not support a proposal that may inhibit the intensification of future industrial uses.”

Meanwhile World Cultural Tourism Village lodged a development application (DA) on August 15, 2025, for a restaurant, cafe, visitor information centre and souvenir shop, theatre and display area, outdoor amenities and children’s playground.

The DA remains under assessment with council sighting “ecology issues” for the delay in its determination.