LAKE Macquarie City Council has signed off on an agreement with a developer designed to offset land clearing for a proposed residential subdivision at Wyee Point.
If approved, the developer of the 196 lot housing project called Ramsgate Estate will have to have land set aside and restored to a self-sustaining native ecosystem to balance any clearing for new builds.
Developer, FTLR Pty Ltd, will pay the council upwards of $885,000 to manage the land and another $336,000 to secure it as an ecological offset.
Councillor Jason Pauling said he felt it was important to acknowledge the concerns locals have with the proposed development, which he also raised at a previous meeting.
"I think it's important to note this is a voluntary planning agreement, the other part of that, objection of process, did carry quite easily in the end," he said.
"I did voice the concerns and issues raised, nonetheless that wasn't particularly compelling and even at the time from a strict compliance point of view there wasn't much wrong.
"In that regard, although I am still mindful of those concerns, this is a VPA in relation to what might happen and accordingly I stand in favour of it - nothwithstanding the previous concerns that I raised."
A new area plan approved in July that rectified issues with a historical paper subdivision of the land drew 107 submissions from local residents.
Nearly 90 of those raised concerns with minimum lot sizes, traffic increases and the capacity for local infrastructure to support a new development.
The voluntary planning agreement was approved unanimously, it is not an approval for the development itself.
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