City of Newcastle seeks to have 505 Minmi Road added to state's national park register

It follows a fourth rejection since 2012 of an application to rezone the 26-hectare area of bushland at 505 Minmi Road for a subdivision.

If the land, which environmentalists argue is a vital link in the creation of a sustainable conservation corridor between the Watagans and Port Stephens, becomes national park it will bring to an end a two-decade tussle between developers and conservationists.

Newcastle councillors rejected a recommendation from council officers for the rezoning to proceed and instead voted to maintain the existing zoning of 505 Minmi Road, Fletcher as E4 Environmental Living.

The council will also write to Mr Kean to request he consider including it into the National Parks estate, noting the property's strategic importance to the Green Corridor.

But the land's owner Kingston 505 Minmi Road Pty Ltd is not giving up its push to have the land developed.

"It's not clear to me why they consider it should be a national park," company director Peter Durbin said.

"It's in the council's documents from 20 years ago that it should be investigated for residential.

"The council officers were supportive of it and there has been consistent strategic support for that land to be residential."

Labor Councillor Declan Clausen said, who moved the motion, said the council and the Joint Regional Planning Panel were in furious agreement about the land's environmental importance.

"I thank the elected council for their leadership in stopping this latest attempt to spot rezone the land to construct 150-plus homes, and maintain its existing environment protection zoning," he said.

"505 Minmi Rd is a critical part of our Green Corridor, extending from the Watagans to the Tilligerry Peninsula, and deserves protection."

"To end the current impasse, and ensure this land is protected in perpetuity, I look forward to discussions with Minister Kean to potentially see this land protected forever as National Park."

Mr Durbin and the project's town planning consultant Stephen Barr said they were considering their appeal options following the council vote.

They are seeking an independent assessment of council's decision.

"The council is creating significant uncertainty around investment in Newcastle, when you consider there is a strategic plan that has been put in place and adopted by council and it can all be undone with a single vote," Mr Barr said.

"What we are asking for is to progress this to a gateway determination. The council has previously supported this going to gateway."

All land put forward by citizens, councils, community groups as potential additions to the nation parks estate must go through a formal identification and assessment process to determine its appropriateness and conservation attributes before it is acquired by the government.

"When I came into the portfolio I made a commitment to add 200,000 hectares to our national parks estate by 2021 and we smashed that in 12 months," Minister Kean told the Newcastle Herald.

"I've now doubled that target, with a goal to add a combined 400,000 hectares to our national park footprint by 2022 - and I'm happy to work with Newcastle City Council and any council for that matter to consider any potential new additions to our national parks."

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The Hunter Green Corridor Coalition was established in 2000 when a plan was hatched to join up a patchwork of parks, privately held land and miscellaneous conservation lands across the Lower Hunter.

It now stands as a definable 23,000 hectare corridor - the equivalent of 50,000 football fields - stretching between the Watagans and Stockton Bight.

Green Corridor Coalition spokesman Brian Purdue said the addition of 505 Minmi Road would be extremely valuable to the project.

"Green Corridor has learnt over the years that important environmental lands must be protected in national parks. Given the current purchase of new national parks lands by the NSW government, we have a one-off opportunity to finally protect this connecting corridor land," he said.

"This opportunity must not be missed and the resounding vote of council is a great step towards this end."

Liberal councillor Brad Luke told last week's council meeting that 505 Minmi Road should be developed in order to improve housing affordability.

"Complete lip-service has been given to housing affordability," he said.

"Housing affordability for most people comes down to supply and demand."

"I believe we need to be releasing more greenfield sites for development to try to make housing more affordable. We need to release more land, not lock up more spots. Increasing supply is the only thing that is going to bring property prices down."

The green corridor supports hundreds of animal communities ranging from the spotted quoll to the majestic sea eagle.

One of the campaign's most significant wins has been the transfer of 2500 hectares of former Coal & Allied-owned land at the Tank Paddock near Minmi.

"If saving the Tank Paddock had failed the corridor would not exist today, proving again that comparatively small local land-use issues can end up having far wider regional ramifications," Mr Purdue said.

The project was awarded a major National Trust award in 2015.