A PUBLIC meeting will be held Wednesday about a revised development plan for a controversial site at Whitebridge.
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A previous $23million plan for the Dudley Road site attracted a 1300-signature petition and more than 250 submissions opposing it.
Lake Macquarie City Council staff asked developer SNL to redesign the plan.
SNL town planner Wade Morris said the company had engaged an architect for this purpose.
Mr Morris said the changes would be outlined at the meeting, to be held at The Place – a community centre in Charlestown Square.
The original plan included 87 dwellings and four commercial spaces.
Whitebridge Community Alliance spokesman Sean Brown said the group was ‘‘hoping to see a good design with reduced unit numbers’’.
‘‘Mainly we want the reduced numbers, so the streets can handle the traffic and don’t become too dangerous with a school zone being there,’’ Mr Brown said.
He said 40 units were suggested for the site when the land was rezoned.
‘‘If it was 50 units and a good design, we’d support it,’’ he said. ‘‘We’re not going into the meeting in a negative way, we’re going in with an open mind to see what’s proposed.’’
Mr Morris said the number of dwellings was planned to be ‘‘around the same’’, but ‘‘it will be a significantly different design’’.
Mr Brown said State of Origin night was ‘‘not the ideal time to have a public meeting, if you want a lot of people to turn up’’.
Mr Morris said he wasn’t aware the match was on tonight.
‘‘The meeting is at 6.30pm, so if people are that worried about the game they’ll be home in time,’’ he said. ‘‘The meeting is meant to be for an hour.’’
The council said it requested a design review, following concerns from the Mine Subsidence Board, a design panel, council staff and the community.
‘‘Council will consider all comments received from residents when assessing amended plans for the development application,’’ it said.
The NSW Joint Regional Planning Panel will have the final say.