Approval for massive development on Sydney fringe fast-tracked despite koala habitat concerns

‘Appin will take away from Wilton (pictured), which has a serious deficit of infrastructure,’ Independent member for Camden, Judy Hannan, says. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

The New South Wales government has given the green light to a massive housing development on Sydney’s fringe despite the state’s environment minister expressing reservations last month about current koala habitat protections in the region.

The development of 13,000 houses in Appin, 80kms south of Sydney, proposed by Walker Corp, is one of the largest on Sydney’s outer edges, and is located in sensitive koala territory.