Concerned community members say the developers of Eden Estates "pulled out" of talks about the controversial proposed housing development around Wallsend and Glendale.
Save Link Road Forest group members said a meeting planned for Tuesday was cancelled "at the last minute," by the developers.
But an Eden Estates spokesman said they have "always been willing" to communicate with the group.
"We have been in communication with the Link Road group since September 2025," the spokesman said.
"In response to their request for a meeting to discuss the site, we recently advised them that we would be happy to meet with them, although we pointed out that the assessment and any subsequent development has since become a state-led proposal under the management of the NSW Department of Planning.
"We must respect that any meeting we have has to be consistent with the Department of Planning's program."
The state government previously said it would accelerate the rezoning of 574 hectares of bushland earmarked for 4200 homes as part of the massive Eden Estates project.
It's one of the largest Hunter land rezonings in decades, straddling Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, and Newcastle council wants the land rezoned for conservation in perpetuity or to regain planning powers for the site.
The Save Link Road Forest campaign spokesman Ian McKenzie argues the developer's "refusal" to meet in person shows a lack of transparency and disregard for the community.
"There are serious issues with this development: a 20-year construction period, a significant increase of traffic on Newcastle Link Road, a lack of important community infrastructure for a development of this size and of course the destruction of the last significant unprotected forest in the Newcastle region," Mr McKenzie said.
"With all this on the line, the least Eden Estates could do is meet face-to-face with the community."
The site is bounded by Wallsend, Cameron Park, Elermore Vale and Glendale and would include a mix of housing types with a focus on affordable housing, employment and supporting community facilities.
The area is one of five sites in NSW identified as suitable for the construction of an estimated 7800 homes in future years.
The Eden Estates spokesman said they strongly support the need for the planning process to be "fully transparent" and looked forward to the department's release of the structure plan.
"This will then enable all stakeholders, including the Link Road group and us, to provide their comments," he said.
"Comments are best made when a tangible proposal is available for consideration.
"We understand that the Department of Planning will provide a public consultation period allowing all in the community an opportunity to respond in an informed and considered way."
The spokesman said public planning documents have long identified the site as suitable for housing.
"In our opinion, the site provides an opportunity to provide needed houses, in a very strategic location, in a manner that achieves an appropriate balance between urban outcome and bushland preservation," he said.
"The site is now being investigated by the Department of Planning to assess the site's potential to provide needed housing in a manner that balances the urban outcome with preservation of bushland."
Mr McKenzie said there was still an opportunity for the state government to choose a different path for the site.
"Newcastle has a proud history of protecting special places like Blackbutt Reserve and Glenrock State Conservation Area for future generations," Mr McKenzie said.
"Link Road Forest deserves to join that legacy. Rather than destroying one of the region's most important biodiversity hotspots, we are calling on the state government to protect this remarkable forest as public conservation land so that our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy it for decades to come."
Technical studies are under way to understand the site's constraints and opportunities, including consideration of areas suitable to long-term environmental protection and confirmation.
The Department's investigations will inform how the site could contribute to future housing, employment, open space and biodiversity outcomes.
