Stephen Leathley, managing director of Cessnock-based Insite Planning Services, told a Property Council lunch at the Newcastle City Hall the plans failed to address the region’s housing supply shortage, ignored blockages to new housing such as assured water, sewer and electricity supply, and lacked meaningful commitments and timelines.

“After reviewing the documents I feel very underwhelmed,” he said.

“They are really nothing more than a consolidation of existing plans and strategies with very few new initiatives and it appears they have been written by the scriptwriters from the ABC TV show Utopia.”

Mr Leathley said the Greater Sydney Commission, established to oversee planning in the state capital, represented a superior model that was delivering “world-class strategic planning in Sydney”.

The Draft Hunter Regional Plan and Draft Plan for Growing Hunter City are on exhibition until March 24. The plans consolidate for the first time strategic planning for the Lower and Upper Hunter and Great Lakes, and propose the creation of a wider metropolitan area to be known as Hunter City. 

The name Hunter City also came under fire from Mr Leathley, who described it as contrived planning jargon that showed a lack of knowledge and empathy with the community. Lake Macquarie City Council has also voiced concerns about the name in a submission to go to councillors for approval on Monday, saying Hunter Metropolitan Area would “better reflect the existence of several cities each with a unique character”.

The Lake submission also raises the exclusion of Morisset, a strategic growth area, from the Hunter City footprint.

A Planning and Environment spokesperson said the draft plan included a proposal to coordinate infrastructure for land releases near Wallsend and East Maitland. The department encouraged feedback from stakeholders and the community.