NSW proposes merging Lower Hunter and Central Coast regions to improve planning coordination by 2026–27.

The NSW government has proposed merging the Lower Hunter and Central Coast into one regional planning area, replacing the previous "Six Cities" model to improve coordination and reduce duplication. The new framework, part of a broader shift in land use planning, aims to align housing, infrastructure, and economic development across six local government areas, with the plan expected by 2026–27. The Property Council of Australia supports the move, highlighting the region’s economic scale—larger than the ACT, Northern Territory, or Tasmania—and calls for updating the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan 2036 with clear timelines and binding milestones for infrastructure and job land supply. Public feedback is currently being accepted.