There were angry scenes at a community meeting on Wednesday night to launch an "Our Voice Matters" campaign, calling for better communications and engagement about a controversial big housing project at Gwynneville.

During an address to the crowd of about 70 locals, independent Ward Two Councillor Andrew Anthony took offence at the questioning and behaviour of some in the audience before he walked out of the meeting.

The heated exchange started about one hour into the meeting, which was seeking greater community input into plans to build up to 1250 new homes on a site in Gwynneville close to the university, to help counter the current housing crisis.

Locals say they haven't had a say

Speakers at the meeting said they were struggling with the uncertainty and there was widespread criticism of Wollongong City Council and Homes NSW for not being more up front about what was proposed.

"I ask why won't Homes NSW and the Council meet with us?" Doug Newton said. "Is it easier for them to just ignore us and in so doing achieve whatever they want? Does it mean that those two bodies are in disagreement with each other? We don't know. In fact, there's a lot we don't know."

"It's unfathomable," said meeting convenor, Felix Bronneberg from the Keiraville Residents Action Group (KRAG). "We need a detailed masterplan for what's planned for this site and all we're getting is a piecemeal approach. No one knows what's happening and no-one is talking or listening to us."

Around a dozen concerned residents from Keiraville and Gwynneville spoke at the public meeting, saying the potential influx of more than 2000 new residents would change their suburbs forever. Most agreed that something needed to be done to tackle the housing crisis. At the same time, they were critical of the lack of new supportive infrastructure. Issues with extra traffic clogging local roads, a lack of parking that already exists, and "overcrowding" were raised by many of the speakers. A lack of engagement with Wollongong Council and Housing NSW was a common theme.

Calls for a comprehensive master plan

Felix Bronneberg said Wollongong Council had disregarded Wollongong Local Planning Panel advice that "a comprehensive community engagement strategy be prepared to accompany the Planning Proposal which details the approach to engagement at each stage of the development. This should be prepared by an independent and experienced consultant.

"The concern is that the development may proceed through individual Development Applications (DAs) rather than as a single, coherent master plan," Felix said. 

It was when Councillor Andrew Anthony rose to speak that the meeting started to deteriorate. He started by offering anyone with concerns to email him and he'd "try to get answers".

Cr Anthony acknowledged there were "legitimate concerns" being raised in the meeting, but he defended Council's planning staff for how they'd managed the process.

Council has 'gone above and beyond'

"The staff say they've gone above and beyond in the consultation to date," Cr Anthony said. "Council has tried to communicate...and I believe they have gone above and beyond."

What followed were a series of questions to the councillor, who admitted he didn't have all the answers.

"You should know," one resident shouted. "You're our councillor." 

After more angry words, Cr Anthony said "I've come here in good faith...and you can contact me, but I don't need to tolerate this kind of rubbish." 

He was joined at the front of the meeting room by Greens Cr Kit Docker in support as he started to leave the meeting. "I'm going, I'm going. I've tried to be fair, and I don't need to tolerate that kind of abuse." 

While departing, Cr Anthony singled out one person in the crowd who had been highly critical of him. "I've come here in my time, and I'm happy to talk to you at another time, I'm a reasonable person." 

The critic responded saying, "Well, I'm not happy to talk to you."

Cr Anthony stands by his comments

Following the meeting, Cr Anthony said he attended Wednesday night's meeting with all the best intentions. 

"I was disappointed that the meeting became confrontational, as my goal was to focus on listening to the concerns of residents."

Cr Anthony stands by his comments defending Council's staff, while also supporting the residents' call for a master planning exercise. 

"Council planning staff hosted two pop-in sessions where residents could raise their concerns in person. The public submission period was also extended to ensure everyone had the opportunity to provide feedback, and a wealth of information is available online," Cr Anthony said after the meeting.

'Master plan could be a positive step'

"Despite these efforts, I recognise there is still a high level of community concern, which is why I was happy to attend the meeting. I believe a master plan could be a positive step if it helps present the proposal more clearly for the community to understand and provides further opportunities for residents to ask questions and share feedback.

"The whole site is not going to be developed all at once. It could take decades. There will also be community feedback sought on each individual development application as sites are consolidated and applications are submitted.

"Some genuine concerns were raised about traffic and parking and public transport around the University. These long-standing issues could be incorporated into the master plan as well as the provision of other services such as childcare. I listened closely to the speakers, and I greatly value the personal stories that were shared. I understand that this proposal will have a real impact on people’s lives, and the community is seeking reassurance.

"Unfortunately, I had a prior commitment meeting with residents of Figtree, which meant I wasn’t able to stay for the entire meeting. I encourage people to take up my offer to send me an email with their concerns, so I can respond to them directly."

Speaking after the meeting, Felix Bronneberg said: “It was a very unfortunate incident but it’s a spillover of the frustration felt by the Gwynneville and Keiraville community.”

Resolution calls for a detailed master plan

Once order was restored, the meeting unanimously carried a resolution "urging Wollongong Council to develop a single, detailed master plan for the entire site, together with Homes NSW as part of the planning process" that incorporates:

• On site community facilities for families and workers such as a pre-school

• A diversity of housing types

• A 'People and Place Plan' prepared by Homes NSW for Gwynneville social housing residents that puts people at the centre of planning by outlining a community's vision, directions and recommendations for future renewal of the Gwynneville housing estate

• Social infrastructure needs of the entire precinct

• Improved community connections to Gwynneville and Keiraville shopping centres and nearby public schools and

• A plan to manage the impact of traffic and parking in Gwynneville and beyond.

Wollongong City Council’s Director of Planning and Environment, Linda Davis, attended Wednesday's meeting. A Council spokesperson said: "She was there to listen to matters raised by community in reference to the Homes NSW proposal for the Irvine Street precinct. The comments made at the meeting by community are consistent with those which have come to Council through the submissions collected during multiple phases of community consultation around this Proposal.’’