The final recommendations in the Nelson Bay2030 plan have been delivered to Port Stephens Council after more than three years of consultation, forums and workshops.

It is expected the final draft will go to the December council meeting and be open for public submissions until at least next February according to the council's head planner David Broyd.

But what surprised when the recommendations were revealed, at the latest Bay Business Breakfast, was the ban on highrise development on the Seabreeze Hotel and the council's Donald Street East car park sites.

The town's business chamber and some councillors had actively pushed for highrise on selected sites and the council had hopes for the redevelopment of the eastern car park for an eight to 10-storey commercial and residential complex.

If the plan's main ideas are adopted the car park project will be scuttled.

The second shock is the idea of commercial development in Apex Park.

Design consultant Mike Cullen, who has been working on the 2030 plan, said development should be allowed in the eastern part of the park near the visitors information centre. He said it would link the town with the waterfront and create a more pedestrian-centric CBD and waterfront.

He suggested a promenade through the park over Teramby Road to drop down in the style of Rome's Spanish Steps to a town square at the marina.

Mr Cullen said Nelson Bay should be encouraged to develop as a European-style, seaside village that would see boundary-to-boundary development and no street set-backs.

Across the "bowl of the town" nothing higher than five storeys should be allowed. But up to 12 storeys coud be allowed at the back of town on the bowling and tennis club sites.

Mr Cullen said his proposals put more importance on the look and style of a building rather than its use.

Mr Broyd stressed the proposals were the consultant's and had to go through public exhibitionbefore coming back to councillors around March next year.