A PROPOSED development at Mount Hutton has raised alarm bells for residents as real estate agents boast about half the blocks already being sold - before it has approval from the council.
The Adams Ridge subdivision, wedged between Warners Bay Road and the narrow Auklet Road could see all trees totally cleared from the 2.4 hectare block for 39 new homes.
Locals like Glenn Dormand and Steve Atkins are concerned it will destroy habitats for local wildlife and create traffic chaos on an already tight residential street.
"The DA isn't approved and they've actually put them on the market and advertised them for sale, so people have put deposits down but it doesn't have development approval - which is apparently legal," Mr Dormand said.
"The main concern is where they are trying to put the road in is a really narrow section of Auklet Road and it will add about 300 cars a day, so there will be no parking for all these houses they're putting in.
"It's just going to make chaos of the street, the school buses won't be able to get through and it's just a disaster on a parking level."
The development is proposed in a low density housing zone, where block sizes usually range from 450m2 upwards.
At Adams Ridge, some are proposed as small as 362m2, up to 637m2.
It's drawn significant concern from residents, with 35 submissions already lodged against the proposal.
A Lake Macquarie City Council spokesman said it will consider all submissions made as part of the detailed planning process.
"The application is currently under assessment with council staff," he said.
"Matters such as tree clearing and biodiversity will be considered as part of the development assessment process."
The Herald contacted the developer for comment but did not receive a response.
While it's not unusual for developers to sell blocks in subdivisions before they have council approval, it is a risk, Urban Development Institute of Australia chairman Geoffrey Rock said.
"It certainly is legal but it's a complex area, people who are entering into those contracts need to do their due diligence and have some pretty good legal advice," he said.
"Because of those complexities, there can be sunset clauses in the contract which means it could expire if the DA process goes too long or conditions are imposed on the development that change the nature of the contract - there are inherent risks in that process."
Submissions on the development closed on June 21, LMCC is currently considering the application.
