NEIGHBOURS say they are concerned over the impact of a proposed $67 million apartment development at the former NBN studio site earmarked for approval this week.
The Mosbri Crescent application, lodged in 2019, proposes three residential flat buildings (161 units) and 11 two-storey dwellings overlooking Newcastle East Public School, neighbouring houses, and Arcadia Park.
Residents met on Sunday to discuss the plan, saying they fear it will impact their privacy and the safety of students at the school.
"It is not that we are against development of the site, we would love to see something fabulous on the site and it deserves a really excellent outcome but this application does not offer that," Open Newcastle public officer Dr Louisa Connors said.
"They have made an enormous recreation area on top of the building that is adjacent to Arcadia Park with a pool and gazebo overlooking the tranquil space which will dramatically impact the way people interact with it."
Developers have proposed a narrow stepped pathway on the western edge of the site, impacting accessibility to Arcadia park.
"The application creates a gated community which is really horrible, and the access path to the park is on this narrow strip on the side of that with steps so people with prams or disabilities are completely excluded," Ms Connors said.
"The community is losing in every way, no public benefit arises."
A public briefing on the proposal was held in April, drawing 90 submissions from residents . They raised concerns over overdevelopment, building height, density, heritage impacts, impacts to Arcadia Park, tree removal, traffic and parking.
A City of Newcastle report has recommended the plan be approved.
NSW Heritage asked that the height of the building be reduced in January because of concerns that the development could block Obelisk views of Newcastle.
The Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel will meet on Wednesday to make a decision due to its value.
"We have been invited to submit our views four times and there has been no significant change in the development application from 2019 and we don't feel that we have been listened to," Dr Connors said.
"We prepared a number of expert witness reports and we found it will have an impact on the critical habitat that Arcadia Park provides.
"We had a mining engineer who flagged the potential for there to be risk on the properties around the site because they are talking about grouting the development site, but there will be un-grouted workings around the site and the impacts could be substantial."
