Lake Macquarie Council has voted against allowing a development at Whitebridge to exceed the area's height limit by 40%.
The Whitebridge Community Alliance has been up in arms about the Fettlers residental estate, after it was revealed SNL Constructions planned to build a fourth storey on the site.
Councillor Barney Langford lead the motion to reject the fourth-storey proposal, and says they followed an earlier decision of the Joint Regional Planning Panel.
"Because [the Panel] made the ruling," he explained, "they're the independent umpire - this development went to them two years ago and they made a decision...it seems to me what the developer is trying to do is wangle their way around that decision."
Cr Langford is referring to SNL's choice to send a separate application to Council, claiming the vision falls within the parameters of the Lake Macquarie 2050 plan.
"It was stated last night that over the 10 years of the JRPP, this is the first time this kind of development application has occurred after a JRPP decision...
"I think it's important that we keep faith with the community, and they were opposed to this development," Cr Langford said.
