An environmental group says land clearing along Minmi Road, Fletcher is destroying key wildlife corridors in the area.
"There won't be much of a corridor after this," Green Corridor Coalition spokesman Brian Purdue said.
"Virtually all the vegetation you can see will be removed. Almost a straight view out to Minmi."
The land clearing is part of Winten Property Group's Minmi Estate, a proposed development on the border of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. The development is set to take up the bulk of a 517-hectare site Winten bought from mining company Coal and Allied in 2015.
The coalition is concerned about clearing on land zoned E2 for environmental conservation in the 371-lot stage 1A of the Winten estate already approved by Newcastle City. Mr Purdue said this land provides a vital wildlife connection between the Blue Gum Hills Regional Park and surrounding bushland.
Council said the land clearing is in line with Winten's subdivision works.
"While every effort was made during the assessment of the applications to minimise disturbance within E2 Zoned land, the development approvals included some clearing of E2 Zoned land associated with the required subdivision works," Newcastle City council spokesperson said.
Mr Purdue claims the land set aside for a wildlife corridor in Winten's plan is "insufficient".
Community concerns extend beyond the approved developments, to the around 2000 lots still under assessment by Newcastle and Lake Macquarie councils. Former Newcastle Greens councillor Therese Doyle said further development in the area risks isolating the regional park.
"There's a campaign going on at the moment to save the area immediately north of the Newcastle Link Road because it has severe implications for biodiversity," she said.
A Lake Macquarie council spokesperson told the Newcastle Herald wildlife corridors are retained in Winten's landscaping plans as public reserves.
"The E2 zoned land sits within these reserves, with these corridors retained as bushland. The most central of these corridors links directly to Blue Gum Hills Regional Park," the spokesperson said.
The Newcastle Herald approached Winten Property Group for comment.
