But the amended plans were further amended during an at times heated meeting of Wollongong City councillors on Monday night.

Ward 1 councillors Janice Kershaw and Jenelle Rimmer supported the motion to only build a maximum of 550 dwellings on the site, with 6.5 per cent of housing to be made available for affordable housing.

But both argued they would vote against the proposal when it returned to council if the traffic issues weren't addressed during the public exhibition period.

Read more: Council to consider amended plans to build 585 homes at Corrimal Coke Works site

Cr Rimmer said it was "ridiculous" there was only one entry point for this proposed development between a railway line and a major traffic thoroughfare.

"There has to be another access point. I can say now that when it comes back after the consultation, if there isn't an alternative traffic solution, I will not be supporting it," she said.

"I'm supporting it now to go on public exhibition because the community needs to be able to make an informed decision.

"I do support residential on this site but not at all costs.

"Traffic is the major problem for this proposal and it doesn't matter if we deal with saving the heritage problems or the grey headed fox, or the flooding is fixed or the riparian corridor is supposedly being upgraded or that we are getting a plaza and we are upgrading the train station or that we are providing local shops - the traffic issue is still a major concern.

'Giving the go ahead to build a mini suburb will have a major impact.

"I agree with the first speaker [Jacqualine Birchall] who said there will be more than 1000 people in over 1000 cars using that road every day. One entry access point is ridiculous.

"It is important we get it right. The decisions we make today will have an impact for decades to come."

Read more: Wollongong City Council's priorities for the next four years

The Illawarra Coke Company and Legacy Property originally wanted to build 736 dwellings, mostly in apartment blocks, at the Railway Street site when they submitted their first draft planning proposal request in October 2017.

But after the council raised concerns the developers submitted new plans to build 585 dwellings, 35 of which would be affordable housing and all of which would be four storeys in height.

Earlier during the public address, Illawarra Coke Company representative Kate Strahorn said the proposal "delivers the 550 dwellings requested by council plus 35 affordable rental dwellings for key workers such as nurses teachers, police and fire fighters".

"We know there is a significant need in the community for more affordable housing and we are committed to doing our part," she said.

"By adding affordable housing above the 550 dwellings we will not be penalising the affordability of those 550 dwellings for future purchases.

"Importantly despite the significant reduction in dwellings we've maintained the full range of public benefits we proposed previously including nine hectares of new open public space.

"This is an additional nine hectares of land that the community has never had access to before."

Longtime-Corrimal resident Jacqualine Birchall also addressed councillors and urged them to knock back this proposal.

"I do not believe that putting 585 dwellings on this industrial land is either responsible or socially acceptable to our community, given that the proposal designates only one point of access in and out of the development," she said.

Read more: Greens announce fresh faces for Wollongong City Council tilt

We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.