The “mixed-use” developments would retain precious CBD parking, boost “permanent accommodation” and “stimulate economic growth”. 

When they’re finished, council will sell them off.

But the council has said there’s no real detail to reveal yet. That’s done nothing to allay fears the buildings will be 14-storey ‘monsters’.

"Council recognises these are two important sites in the Nelson Bay CBD that have the potential to add to the permanent population in the city centre and further stimulate economic growth and investment,” the council’s land acquisition and development manager Sean Fox said. "A key component of the designs for both sites was to retain existing public car parking spaces."

Bay residents have fought hard for 40 years to cap development at seven storeys, below the treeline.

“Unfortunately, interested parties appear to have been given the impression that heights in the 10 to 14 storey range might be acceptable,” Tomaree Ratepayers and Residents Association president Geoff Washington said.

“We submit that any such developments would be completely unacceptable, breaching the consensus achieved in council’s 2012 Strategy and destroying the unique landscape and ‘townscape’ character of Nelson Bay.”

One of the sites was previously developed in 1991 as a multi-level car park.

Structural issues were discovered soon after. 

These were deemed too expensive to fix and has kept vast areas off-limits to shoppers. Tomaree Ratepayers and Residents Association has lodged a freedom of information request with the council under the GIPA Act.

The council agreed in a closed session last month to enter into discussions with “two preferred proponents”.

The resolution was “not to sell the sites” but to negotiate an “acceptable development”, then “site sales”.