Developer Peter Cooke said when completed, the 22.25 hectare estate would be worth up to $8 million.

Each home will be built on a 2ha site, with a wildlife corridor bounding part of the site and anaccess road to be built.

“The location lends itself to a high-quality development; I saw an opportunity to build homes that offered a sem-rural retreat,” Mr Cooke, a real estate agent for Richardson and Wrench, said.

The development was given the nod by Armidale Dumaresq councillors on Monday night.

It is bounded by Translator Road to the south and Judith Street on the west.

There will be 10 larges lots, mainly 2ha in size with a cul-de-sac down the middle.

Part of Translator Road will be widened to accommodate extra traffic emanating from the development.

“The existing intersection of Translator Road with Kelly’s Plains Road is considered to be adequate and will be able to safely accommodate the additional traffic movements associated with the subdivision,” officers noted in their report to Council. Each home will be at least 150 sq m with no dual occupancies. 

Sheds, caravans and mobile homes will also be prohibited from being built as part of the development.

Tress will be kept and special wildlife-friendly fencing erected to protect local fauna.

But the development faced a bloc of opposition from 12 residents, many of whom questioned the need for extra housing and raised concerns about extra traffic.

“The subdivision will generate additional traffic which will require Translator Road to be upgraded and speed limits introduced for safety reasons,” one resident wrote.

Some wanted Gentles Road to be used as the main access rather than Translator Road.

They said Translator Road was sealed using contributions from adjoining residents.

“The future residents associated with subdivision would benefit from the use of the road which is not considered to be fair,” the said.

Residents were also concerned the development would change the character of the area into a higher residential site.

They said the development was inconsistent with the rural lifestyle and might generate conflict among residents.

But officers addressed most of their fears before recommending councillors give the nod for the development, subject to a number of controls.

“The proposed wildlife corridor along the eastern boundary will act to create a visual buffer between those properties located further to the east,” they wrote.

“The provision of street tree plantings within the new road will also assist in visually integrating the development with its surrounds.”