A PETITION against what locals call a "poorly conceived" plan to guide the growth and development of Morisset is gathering momentum.
A group of residents believe Lake Macquarie City Council's Morisset Place Strategy, which includes an idea to turn bushland near Mandalong Road into a hub for freight, logistics and warehousing, will have devastating impacts on flora and fauna, exacerbate traffic issues and create a flood risk.
Mandalong Community Association (MCA) member Mike Astles said many of the people who live in the community moved there for a 'tree change' before the term was even coined.
"Our concern is with the visual aspects when you turn off the freeway to go down through Mandalong, it's kind of a relief from the hustle and bustle," he said.
"The other issue which is probably the worst one is the fact that it's a flood plain, it acts as a filter for all the water that flows into our creeks and wetlands and ultimately into Lake Macquarie.
"If they build the area up with copious amounts of fill it's going to dam Mandalong Valley, and the water table has already risen in the valley due to mining in the last 20 odd years.
"I was just horrified, I thought, 'This is ridiculous - did they not watch the news about Lismore?' It's going to be a financial burden on society if it goes ahead."
He said the group only recently became aware of the strategy, because it was focused on Morisset.
The MCA has put together a petition to the NSW Legislative Assembly opposing the strategy.
It argues development will impede run-off, increase flooding severity and impact green areas west of the M1 that are "critical for maintaining and enhancing biodiversity, maintaining wildlife habitats and wildlife corridors".
It also points out that roads in the area are already carrying traffic "beyond their capacity".
Last week, the council granted a two-week extension to consultation on the strategy discussion paper, a blueprint to rezone land in one of the fastest growing suburbs in the Hunter.
Morisset is tipped to become home to more than 12,000 extra residents in the next 20 years.
So far, the council has received 268 survey responses and 24 submissions.
As part of its plan, the council has also identified land currently zoned as rural landscape north of existing land zoned for industrial use on Gimberts Road as having industrial development potential if flood impacts can be mitigated.
According to the council's integrated planning manager Wes Hain, there's no plan to rezone the land for a "conventional" industrial estate along Mandalong Road.
"The Hunter Regional Plan 2041 and the Morisset Place Strategy discussion paper identifies that land west of the M1 Motorway area should be investigated for intensive agriculture, including precision farming and greenhouses/hydroponics, and for freight, warehousing and logistics businesses due to strong connections to the M1 and markets like Sydney, the Central Coast, the Lower Hunter and further north," he said.
"The place strategy will need to consider and balance community input, environmental attributes, population growth and associated demand for employment land."
He said the council is currently undertaking flooding and bushfire studies, among others, which will inform which areas are suitable for development.
"Any future development of the area will be subject to a comprehensive assessment including transport and traffic studies to determine any required upgrades to the road network," he said.
Mr Hain said the same goes for significant vegetation and riparian corridors.
Hunter Wildlife Rescue volunteer Ann Morgan said destroying the bushland at Mandalong would be "absolutely catastrophic".
"We have kangaroos and displaced animals everywhere down there, they're getting hit and they all have to be euthanised because their injuries are so dreadful," she said.
"Everywhere you look there's a massive amount of bush gone, and our animals are suffering severely - if they do this at Mandalong that's more land the animals don't have.
"It's scorched Earth policy, it really is."
Consultation on the discussion paper will close September 14.
For more information visit the council's website.
