A planning proposal at the Murray and Morgan streets vicinity has copped intense public scrutiny, but one resident is standing up for the developer.
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Property management company Damasa has submitted a proposal to amend the Wagga Local Environmental Plan 2010 to reclassify community land, rezone land, increase building heights and remove the floor-space ratio provisions.
The proposal is on public exhibition and will close on September 20.
Forest Hill resident Ken Young said those opposing this motion should first give the developer a go, before making up their minds.
"I've lived here for 34 years and I'm not a Central resident .... but, if they were building next to me I'd be quite happy," Mr Young said.
"The only negativity you see are residents being annoyed because the traditional small country town isn't a small country town anymore.
"People are spending their hard earned money and investing - who else is going to invest back into the city, if they're not given the chance?"
Central residents have expressed concerns around the traffic in the Docker and Morgan streets, limited parking and a lack of community land.
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However, Mr Young argued that traffic will inevitably increase and it is up to Wagga City Council to upgrade road infrastructure to support future growth.
"[Increased] development has affected me; I used to get into town in under seven minutes ... traffic will only get worse if they keep pushing people further out," he said.
"If they build it up, it will give the opportunity to put parking underneath and it also forces council, if they approve these developments, to improve road infrastructure."
The Forest Hill resident said people need to support forward movement in Wagga as it will have positively impact local businesses.
"People are whinging about the CBD building up, but then they're also whinging about empty shopfronts," Mr Young said.
"Retailers are doing it tough ... more businesses in town, means more revenue.
"This is the chance for Wagga to really develop ... the more people we can get in the city, the better, and there are plenty of people that want to live in apartments now so that they don't have to maintain grass."