Concerns over apartments planned for McCauley's Estate

But she is now worried this lifestyle could be out of reach for her family and other buyers, with MMJ lodging plans with Wollongong council to build a three-storey apartment building.

“Some of my neighbours are building these big beautiful houses and they’re going to have balconies overlooking their garden,” she said.

“It’s been sold as an area of family homes, and we bought this land thinking it would be like the rest of McCauley’s, not going to have big unit blocks towering over us. I probably wouldn’t have bought the block of land if I’d known about this.”

As a paramedic, Ms Davy also said she was worried over-development could lead to problems for emergency services.

“You’re not going to be able to get fire trucks in, and if there’s a cardiac arrest you won’t be able to have the ambulances coming in with all the traffic, parking and rubbish bins this will create,” she said. “I hope Wollongong council won’t approve this.”

According to plans now on exhibition, the developers are seeking to consolidate two lots at 12-14 Clyde Close to build a nine-unit apartment block. The three-storey building will have ground floor communal space and  basement car parking.

“The built form of the overall development has been designed to provide a modern and contemporary visual image, consistent with most other residential developments within the McCauley’s Beach Estate,” the documents state.

In August last year, buyers forked out more than $12 million to snap up the final 17 lots at McCauley’s with prices ranging from $643,000 to $961,000 and an average of 31 bidders vying for each lot.

At the time, sales agent Daniel Field, of Ray White Thirroul, told the Mercury the land was popular with families and would add to the estate's friendly vibe.

“I can see people becoming real fans of that spot, I can't see any downsides to it,” he said.

The plans are on display until April 22.