Milton resident Bill Deverall loves where he lives but fears what makes the village sparkle, will become dull due to inappropriate development.
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He walks out of his vintage-style Milton home and sees the new dwelling that casts a shadow over his home.
Bill then looks out over the back of his home and sees a block of land set for what he believes is a concerning development.
Plans are with Shoalhaven City Council to develop the one dwelling block into four.
Bill decided to act and wrote a letter, outlining his concerns, to all the elected members of council.
He even carried out a letterbox drop around the village to see what other residents thought about Milton's development issue.
"I wanted to see if it would strike a chord with other residents. I also think the councillors need to be informed about the feelings of the community," Bill said.
He is not against development but feels more thought is needed when new buildings are considered for a historic village like Milton.
Bill does not want Milton and the Shoalhaven in general to lose its appeal and uniqueness.
"The biggest asset this region has is its natural beauty, beaches and wildlife," the Milton resident said.
"In the last 10 or so years, there has been a huge amount of development that is turning our area into an ugly urban sprawl.
"It's like we are putting rhinestones in a cluster of diamonds."
He added while residents could not control the devastating bushfires, they should have some decision on the developments proposed for their communities.
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The Milton resident knows many other local residents feel the same as he does.
"People have said to me they want to leave the area because it's not the same," he said.
"We need to retain the essence of what is here.
"This is not about me having a whinge - I am trying to do something for the greater good of the community."
Bill was not happy with the DA process and the limited time he and other residents were given to respond to the four-block development currently with council.
He received a solid response to his letter drop and intends to leave flyers at local cafes - which he hopes leads to him hearing back from the councillors in the near future.
Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley and other councillors indicated they would be prepared to meet with Bill and talk about the issues he raised.
The Times is seeking more information on the development application process and this request is with council.
