Proponents of the proposal for a supermarket and specialty shops on the New England Highway said the project would be an economic injection for Branxton by keeping money in the town.

But ROI Properties director David Owens’ address to Cessnock City Council on Wednesday failed to placate more than a dozen Save Our Branxton supporters in the public gallery.

Save Our Branxton spokesman Gus Maher raised traffic, heritage and economic impacts of the development and told councillors long-standing businesses such as the butcher, newsagent and chemist could not survive a “double whammy” with the F3 link bypass and a shopping centre.

The matter was deferred, and a site inspection will be undertaken before the proposal returns to the council for determination on December 9.

Mr Owens said the notion that the shopping centre would kill businesses was ridiculous.

He said an independent consultant found $17 million in retail expenditure escaped from Branxton each year, and a survey of 400 Branxton residents by the company showed 75 per cent of respondents travelled for their weekly shop.

“Most of them are going to Rutherford, some are going to Cessnock and some are going to Singleton,” Mr Owens, whose company also owns Thornton Shopping Centre, told the Mercury yesterday.

He said a full-line supermarket had the support of 89 per cent of the community – and meant people could walk out the front door of the shopping centre and down the street to get whatever else they needed.

Mr Maher also told councillors the “concrete box design” of the building was out of keeping with the heritage streetscape, and would replace heritage homes.

Mr Owens said the building was designed to respond to the town’s heritage character, and incorporated elements of neighbouring Victoria House.