Red Head Villages Association president Peter Hudson told the Times that locals are suspicious about the supermarket and 10 shops proposed for Curvers Drive in Manyana.

A development application has been submitted to Shoalhaven City Council by development company Kylor which has been at the centre of a 20-year debate over the expansion of Manyana.

In the past Kylor’s plans for residential subdivisions, caravan parks and a golf course have been rejected by the community based on a lack of community facilities and infrastructure.

“Since the proposed development is not sustainable with the current population, it is feasible that the commercial developer’s only purpose is to use it as ammunition for other residential developers to pursue their housing developments,” Mr Hudson said.

“The residents here are suspicious of such a large development.

“These developers would like to see their failed DA’s go forward, and they will use this commercial development to argue that Manyana has all the services needed to sustain their proposal.”

Mr Hudson said Kylor, council and the community have previously negotiated a concept plan that includes a neighbourhood shopping centre with five shops.

He said the developer has not consulted with the community over the larger scale complex.

“Now we are once again faced with unnecessary overdevelopment.

“The current DA has shocked people in the community and a better outcome will be sought”

Mr Hudson said people are concerned about the site plan, design, scale, character and sustainability of the “strip mall”.

“The proposed urban style architecture is not consistent with the small coastal village of Manyana and does not capture the environmental essence of the location,” he said.

“A smaller art focused, eco-friendly neighbourhood shopping centre would be more appealing.”

Mr Hudson said the developers have been told the mall will “monopolise future retail possibilities” and “threaten the neighbourhood general stores that presently service the villages”.