LWP Property Group managing director Danny Murphy reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the project at a meeting of Branxton businesses on Friday, ahead of the court appeal on November 4.

The Sweetwater Action Group celebrated a second win in July when the Land and Environment Court quashed the rezoning of the land.

But the LWP Property Group and state government appealed.

“The Land and Environment Court ruling simply related to a couple of steps in the process; it did not relate to the proposal itself,” Mr Murphy told the Mercury.

“We appealed because we feel we have reasonable grounds in our favour. But if it doesn’t come down in our favour, we will start the process again. We’re not going away.

“This project is a great project and it needs to come to fruition.”

Huntlee represents the first new town in the Hunter for almost 50 years, to provide up to 7500 homes, 3000 permanent jobs and 200 hectares of employment lands over 20 years.

The project was further bolstered on Friday when an Abigroup representative told the Branxton Chamber of Commerce work on the Hunter Expressway was ahead of schedule.

And Mr Murphy said a call for registrations of interest in Huntlee was also proving fruitful from people who wanted to live closer to work.

“The new Hunter Expressway really opens up the area around Branxton and there’s already a shortage of land,” Mr Murphy said. “It’s critical that the housing shortage is addressed.”

And while opponents to the project had criticised the location, particularly the lack of public transport infrastructure, Mr Murphy disagreed.

“It’s an attractive location situated between Cessnock, Maitland and Singleton,” he said.

“The development will take advantage of key infrastructure such as the Hunter Expressway and the Branxton Waste Water Treatment Works.

“There will be limited train services, and we have included subsidised bus services from Huntlee [in the planning].”