THE NSW Government will give the green light today to the controversial $200 million marina plan at Trinity Point, Morisset Park.
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It will be among the largest marinas in the state and one of the biggest developments in Lake Macquarie's history.
Planning Minister Kristina Keneally, who will approve the project's concept plan today, said it would create "a lively new foreshore precinct".
The development, which includes tourist, residential and marina uses, will create 765 construction jobs and 60 full-time jobs.
"The Trinity Point development will support the expanding economic role of the Lower Hunter, while ensuring the important ecological values of Bardens Bay are conserved," Ms Keneally said yesterday.
"It will be an important site to progress future growth and development of Morisset, which is identified as an emerging regional centre in the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy."
Developer Keith Johnson said he was excited and eager to build the development.
"This will give Lake Macquarie a world-class tourist project," Mr Johnson said.
The plan includes 188 marina berths, a conference centre, restaurant, cafe, shops, village piazza and boardwalk. The marina would be built in two stages of 94 berths each.
Ms Keneally said the first stage must meet "strict standards of environmental performance" and 75 per cent of berths must be subscribed before the second stage could be built.
The project includes 150 dwellings with half available for tourism and the other half for residential or tourism uses.
Accommodation will be in one- to five-storey buildings.
Ms Keneally said Lake Macquarie City Council and the [state] Planning Assessment Commission had put the concept plan through a "thorough, rigorous and transparent assessment process".
The minister said she referred the application to the commission to get independent advice "due to the complex nature of environmental concerns" and because the developer had donated to the Labor, Liberal and National parties.
This was to "ensure the community, council and proponent were provided with certainty and transparency", she said.
"The commission provided an additional level of scrutiny and found the proposal and the amendments and conditions placed on the plans were reasonable," she said.
Ms Keneally said the original concept plan was revised significantly "in response to community feedback and thorough council scrutiny".
"A proposed helipad was removed from the proposal and building heights within and outside the village piazza were reduced by up to two storeys," she said.
"The number of marina berths were reduced from 308 to 188, and marina construction will take place in two stages."
The staged approach was "designed to ensure any impacts on the water quality of Bardens Bay are minimised."
