Shoalhaven City Council is poised to rezone 11 hectares of land in Berry for a residential development.
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The development will include 93 lots sized 500 square metres and 24 lots sized 350 square metres.
The state government now has the power to give the project the green light.
The Berry Forum, a collective of 900 local residents, met to discuss the development recently, and the overwhelming vote was not to support the proposal.
“It’s a case of not wanting to repeat how Shellharbour looks as you approach it,” Berry Forum secretary Stuart Coughlan said.
“It’s a case of preserving the gateway to Berry, in that it’s a historic town.”
Mr Coughlan emphasised this was the view of the group, not a personal view.
The development is planned for a section of land west of the Princes Highway, south of Hitchcocks Lane.
Council did compromise, as the developer had applied to include 15 hectares in the subdivision.
A 9.5 hectare part of the land that may be developed was identified as a possible area for urban expansion in a council report delivered in 2014.
At the development committee meeting this week, councillors agreed that the community needed to be fully involved in the urban design following the outcome of studies on visual impact, infrastructure, traffic and other matters.
The Berry Forum Committee will continue to consult with council and the community as this proposal progresses through the approval process.