Turning West Dapto into one of the state's largest housing release areas is well advanced.
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It's almost 11-years now since Wollongong City Council set the vision in motion.
A framework of planning controls is in place to guide development across the urban release area.
In December 2018, Council adopted a revised West Dapto Vision.
Last night councillors reaffirmed their commitment to the major housing expansion, which includes plans for 19,000 new homes.
But they also backed some subtle changes addressing issues around residential subdivisions and what developers will need to include in open space plans.
They voted unanimously to put the latest vision for the West Dapto expansion on public display for a minimum 28 days.
The new changes include requirements to plant one street tree for each lot on a residential road, with planting completed before the final 20 per cent of construction in a subdivision.
All councillors spoke in favour of the proposed amendments to Chapter D16 West Dapto Release Area and Chapter B2 Residential Subdivision.
They also backed introducing a draft West Dapto Open Space Design Manual and draft West Dapto Open Space Technical Manual.
Ward 3 councillor Ann Martin downplayed the "hysteria" around tree planting.
"This [plan] is the result of many years of work and the development control plans and open space have actually been detailed what council would like to do and how we would like to do it," Cr Martin said. "We encourage community consultation.
'You are not going to wake up tomorrow and find 20,000 people next door.
"This is not wall to wall housing, as we see in other parts of our region....and a lot of us have a sense of loss, because we've lost a lot of what makes our area special."
Sporting fields will also require at least 30 per cent of the off field areas to have natural shade.
The council has provided a list of 10 exotics and 37 natives to chose from including the Grey myrtle and Illawarra Plum and for turf it prefers Kikuyu and Buffalo.
Greens councillors Mithra Cox and Cath Blakey called for the council to increase its planting list and also look at the light railway option for West Dapto and Wollongong.
They also called for efficient and attractive public transport options.