DEBATE about a manufactured home plan for Mayfield, worth up to $30 million, is heating up.
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The 100-lot development application for Arthur Street has received more than 100 submissions opposing the plans, with residents angry about increased traffic, pedestrian safety, flooding problems, and social impacts.
Mayfield residents Venessa Elliot and Kristy Allan spoke against the plan in front of a packed Public Voice council meeting last week.
They said the site was originally donated by the BHP and acted as a green buffer between residents and Mayfield's industrial area.
It is zoned RE2 private recreation under the local environment plan.
David Hughes spoke on behalf of the developer, and said they had considered all of the relevant planning laws in making the development application.
He also dismissed the residents' concerns that the village would look like a "ghetto" or a "tin hut", but admitted that the house designs still hadn't been finalised.
Mr Hughes agreed the social impacts would be significant for Mayfield, highlighting there were many retirees in the area looking to downsize and pointed to Arthur Street as an ideal location.
He said he had taken some of the public's criticisms on board and had re-submitted a second development application.
Greens councillor Michael Osborne questioned the market value of the manufactured homes and the developers' legal obligations.
Cr Osborne said any other developer would have to pay the council section 94 funds under state government law, which would be $300,000 if the developers sold the homes for $30 million total.
The development application is expected to be presented to Newcastle councillors for consideration at a council meeting next month.