Today, the centres are poised for radical change with the launch of a new neighbouring town and the unveiling of a land use strategy that will cement the area’s future for the next three decades.

The Draft Branxton Subregional Land Use Strategy was voted in 8-3 at Wednesday’s Cessnock City Council meeting to go on public exhibition for six weeks.

Cessnock mayor Bob Pynsent said the aim of the plan was to set the foundations for Branxton to cope with the unprecedented growth forecast over the next 20 years.

“The town’s central business district was really affected business-wise when the  expressway opened and there needs to be a plan across both the Cessnock and Singleton council boundaries for the town’s redevelopment,” the mayor said.

The township of Branxton is divided in two, falling both in Cessnock and Singleton local government areas.

“Both councils need to be on the same page when it comes to planning and development,” Cr Pynsent said. “The one strategy will iron out any discrepancies in terms of long-term planning.”

Once fully developed, Huntlee will be home to 20,000 people.

“Branxton is on the edge of a boom and Huntlee is already going gangbusters,” Cr Pynsent said.

“Last month council signed the $39 million voluntary planning agreement for stage one of the new town with developers LWP.”

Cessnock council will devise a concept plan for the main street of Branxton drawing on business operators in the town for their input and said the plan would tap into the town’s historical significance.

However councillors Doherty and Gibson raised concerns at the council meeting about the lack of focus on Greta in the plan.

“The people who wrote this report talk about the wonderful commercial centre that Branxton currently is,” Cr Doherty said.

“Well Greta’s got lots of things going for it yet it’s rarely mentioned in these documents.

“I’m concerned about the way these documents’ influence is purely on Branxton.”

Cr Gibson said while he is happy to see the plan go on public exhibition he also asked how much energy had gone into including Greta.

“Has Greta been forgotten?” he asked. “I’d hate to see Greta gets left behind for the benefit of Branxton or otherwise.” 

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Branxton-Greta Community Business Chamber president and general manager of the town’s Royal Federal Hotel, Mick Starkey, says the land use strategy is great news and probably something that should have been locked into place well before the Hunter Expressway opened.

He said some businesses had flourished since the M15 opened, but some had floundered.

He said the strategy was great news and something the community would embrace.

“We are at an advantage in that both councils have worked with us and are supporting us pretty well,” Mr Starkey said. “We have great community facilities across both towns and we have great community groups that work hard.

“The main street needs a redevelopment, beautification etc to draw people into the town so we can have a point of difference from Huntlee.

“We need to create gateways to the towns and capitalise on the tourism in the vineyards.”