Spokesperson for the project, Ian Wilks from LWP Property Group said they anticipated the rezoning of land would be approved by the end of April allowing them to move past the concept phase.

The plan for Huntlee is for a community-based residential town that would provide services and a quality lifestyle for a projected population of 20,000 by 2025.

Mr Wilkes said Huntlee had been given a lot of ‘bad press’ in the past that was unjustified because Huntlee was a ‘good news story’.

He said it was a long-term development with a strong community focus.

“The plan for Huntlee is for everyone to own a bike or to be within five minutes of a bus, this is not going to be an urban sprawl, but a well-thought out and serviced community.

“It is original and adventurous, but with a considered approach,” he said.

Huntlee is to be the first major new town in the Hunter in more than 50 years with 7,200 residential blocks, not 20,000 that was originally proposed.

Mr Wilks said he saw the F3 link corridor as more critical to Upper Hunter growth and not a make or break factor in the go-ahead for Huntlee.

He said Huntlee was based on the award-winning town of Ellensbrook in the Swan Valley in Western Australia and was designed to complement rather than compete with existing Hunter towns.

Mr Wilks said LWP stood for Live, Work and Play and their projects were designed with a community focus in ‘a cradle to grave concept’, based on affordability and lifestyle.

He said the development was not about an urban sprawl and said there were no plans to buy more land.

LWP Property Group is the third largest developer in Western Australia, and this is their first acquisition outside their home state.

Huntlee, falls within both the Singleton and the Cessnock local government areas.