The Department of Planning has helped pave the way for the development of a parcel of land at Fletcher that the City of Newcastle and environment groups are fighting to preserve.
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The 26-hectare area of bushland at 505 Minmi Road has been the subject of a two decade battle between its owner Kingston, who is seeking to develop the site for housing, and environmental groups.
The land had previously appeared in numerous regional strategies as part of the Hunter Green Corridor - a project that is seeking to create a continuous biodiversity corridor between the Watagans and Port Stephens.
However the new Hunter Region Plan 2041, released on December 7, identifies 505 Minmi Road as "New Residential Land".
Newcastle Council last week undertook to write to the Department of Planning and the Greater Cities Commission to urgently request that the Hunter Regional Plan maps with respect to the Green Corridor and 505 Minmi Road be updated to maintain consistency with the council's adopted Local Strategic Planning Statement.
Green Corridor Coalition spokesman Brian Purdue condemned the reclassification in the regional plan.
"If the final plan's mapping is not an error it is plain this has been a political decision. If this does turn out to be political, and given the unbelievable interference in this rezoning over the years, it should now be sent straight to ICAC," he said.
A Department of Planning did not explain why the land had been reclassified, however, a spokeswoman said the Hunter Regional Plan was now the primary strategic planning document for the region and took precedence over other strategic documents.
"In recognition of the region's significance to NSW and relationship to Greater Sydney, the Greater Cities Commission is working on a new long-term vision for the Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle City area as part of its Six Cities vision," she said.
Planning consultant Stephen Barr, who works for Kingston, said he believed the new classification was appropriate.
"The land has been identified in state government plans for residential development for more than two decades," he said.
"The council also previously had it identified in its housing strategy before they overturned it."
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Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
