Conservationists are pushing back against a Port Stephens Council plan that would earmark a wetland buffer zone for residential development in an effort to ease the housing crisis.
Mambo-Wanda Wetlands Conservation Group (MWWCG) is urging the council to press pause on the adoption of its Salamander Bay Town Centre Place Plan, saying the proposed developments would threaten the adjacent Mambo Wetlands and its fragile ecosystems.
MWWCG spokesperson Kathy Brown said the plans will encroach into the crucial buffer zone around the wetlands.
"Those zones are there for a specific reason and they are protected," she said.
"They help prevent pollution and rubbish from entering the wetlands.
"How can they possibly think they will get away with it?"
The wetlands are home to number of threatened animal and plant species including koalas, gliders, bats, amphibians and a number of bird species including white-bellied sea eagles.
"Council's own signage identifies it as koala habitat and part of a travel corridor," Ms Brown said.
The wetland reserve is also the site of endangered ecological communities of swamp sclerophyll forest and coastal saltmarsh.
Ms Brown said the group was alarmed to find that much of the southern area of the wetlands near Tomaree Library and Salamander Way has been included in plans for multi-storey apartment blocks as part of the council's draft plan, which went on public exhibition in July this year.
The council will discuss a report into public submissions before voting on whether to adopt the town centre plan on November 25.
The plan marks five new zones for development as commercial space, health services, residential housing, and community facilities.
Ms Brown said the area of chief concern was the area in zone three, marked for residential development . It lies to the west of the existing library facility and features council signage highlighting the wetlands endangered ecosystems.
She said the area acts as the crucial buffer zone between developed land and the wetlands, but was also prone to flooding. She said that could become a major concern for any residential development.
The report council will discuss responded to the environmental and flooding concerns.
The report says the council will invest some of the proceeds from selling council-owned land in the town centre into the conservation and ongoing management of the wetlands.
"We support council's efforts to develop housing here in Port Stephens. However, we don't believe pockets of Mambo Wetlands should be sacrificed for this purpose," said Irene Jones, president of the Mambo Wetlands group.
"Council is telling us that profits from their housing development will fund the future maintenance of the wetland.
"Selling off parts of the wetland, to save the wetland, makes no sense."
Ms Brown said "you can't bribe off environmentalists with this carrot."
The report states that any future development applications will need to be assessed under existing State Environmental Planning Policies for coastal wetlands proximity and demonstrate that development will not significantly impact on: (a) the biophysical, hydrological or ecological integrity of the adjacent coastal wetland, or (b) the quantity and quality of surface and ground water flows.
The report notes any future development applications will need to be assessed under state environmental planning policies. That will include demonstrating development would not damage the "biophysical, hydrological or ecological integrity of the adjacent coastal wetland" or the quantity and quality of surface and groundwater flows.
The report again defers to any future development application on flooding, noting "detailed studies will need to be undertaken at the development application stage in order to understand the environmental impacts, including drainage impacts, and the design of future development will need to respond appropriately to these studies."
Ms Brown said they have "no faith" in the council in regards to drainage after other areas of development have had issues.
"They say no water off the sites and the shopping centre will go through the wetlands and that just defies gravity."
In a statement Port Stephens Council said the plan was developed with extensive community input and is an exciting step forward for Salamander Bay.
"The Place Plan focuses on part of the town centre that is designated for commercial use," the statement reads.
"It does not include the Mambo Wanda Wetland.
"In addition, approximately 1.41ha of commercially zoned land north of the existing Library and Community Centre, has been identified through preliminary environmental studies as having a high environmental value, and will be retained, conserved and improved.
"If the plan is approved, Council will complete detailed environmental studies and design work to reflect both environmental values and community needs before formally submitting a development application for assessment."
Fights against previous plans to develop around the wetlands have been successful, winning support from Port Stephens MP Kate Washington.
Past campaigning forced a state buyback of land on the corner of Foreshore Drive and Port Stephens Drive.