i would say it's a great prospect for a long term outlook of say 10-15 years for the right investment, for reasons being when the developments are announced, for example the Warnervale Town Centre, the original completion was set down if I remember correctly, somewhere at the end of 2010, here we are and it's 2015 and it will be at least minimum 5-10 years before it's fully realised.
If we hit a stall period like we did twice in the last decade, add another 5 years.
The Tuggerah situation has been on the cards for years and I feel it's easily the same time frame again.
What is preventing real growth is business. Until the local economy is stimulated enough, and businesses find it appealing, the lower commercial costs to establish and local and state government start funding a business incentive package to make it incredibly attractive all we will have is a great population, high unemployment and serious infrastructure concerns.
We have had a couple of majors (like woolies) establish in the North but we have had some impactful closures as well.
Gosford to me has being a black swan for many years, it just hasn't been given a real crack, up and down like a roll-a-coaster and many times including at present the local and state government are finally realising they need to stimulate it with long term commitments from a commercial perspective, it can be such a great place however the pockets of growth here and there doesn't define any one ideal location.
Thoughts on living here, since I grew up on Sydney's Northern Beaches, I feel it is a fantastic place in every sense except employment and infrastructure (which is usually inadequate and an after thought) when trying to meet the demand of such a growing population.