A HOUSING estate at Teralba developed by a company former councillor Luke Cubis is a shareholder in has been approved, despite 26 public submissions against it.
Lake Macquarie City Council approved the 19-lot residential subdivision on Victoria Street at Monday night's meeting, arguing its contribution to the city's housing stock outweighed community angst.
Objections to the $1.9 million proposal raised issues with the removal of 80 trees to make way for the subdivision, increased traffic, flooding and bushfire impacts, noise and stormwater runoff.
The corridor on the western side of the lake provides an opportunity to achieve a diverse mix of housing, Cr Jack Antcliff said.
"I think there will always be some angst in call it the older, or original suburbs that form our city and Teralba is one that is steeped in a lot of history when you dig back into its origins as a coal mining township," he said.
"But for me I also look at the future opportunity, that being that we need a diversification of housing in this city - there is no doubt about that.
"That can't all come from traditional greenfield sites, but as far as I'm concerned it can't come from 10-storey or multi-storey buildings in Charlestown, Warners Bay and the like, there needs to be a split in the middle."
Councillors Jason Pauling, Madeline Bishop and Kate Warner left the chamber for the vote after declaring various interests in the matter.
The original development application put forward 24 lots, which was reduced to 19 because of site constraints, with lot sizes ranging from 364m2 to 1.2 hectares.
Located in a high hazard flood zone, the developer will have to install a detention basin and culverts under the entry road to minimise impacts on surrounding homes.
Mayor Kay Fraser noted the submissions from the community but pointed out the site is zoned for low-density residential developments.
"We can continue to go to the outskirts of our city but I think it's more appropriate for us to consider development closer to those essential services like the rail line and all those amenities around Teralba," she said.
"We are going through a transition in our city, we're looking for different stocks of housing, people don't all want to live on a big house on a big block anymore, they're looking for different types of housing in our city and we've been through consultation with the community and that's what they've asked for.
"I think this delivers some of that for them so I'm happy to support it as well."
The council voted unanimously in favour of the subdivision.
