The claim was made by Bridget O'Connor from the Thurgoona Community Action Group during a packed community forum conducted by Albury Council on Monday night.

“This road will funnel all traffic into central Thurgoona which is already congested,” she said.

“We feel there is insufficient planning and infrastructure in place before the development starts.

“No master-plan exists for central Thurgoona and no measures are in place to cope with the increase in traffic and safety issues along Table Top Road and Thurgoona Drive.”

Developer Peter Bowen Homes has earmarked the road into the sub-division from Table Top Road be built about 150 metres south of the Ettamogah Road intersection near the Kinross Woolshed Hotel.

It will be the first major piece of infrastructure built as part of the project which is expected to be presented to Albury Council for approval in late March.

A temporary access road from Kerr Road to be created during the construction phase was also the subject of strong objection from Mrs O'Connor, who wished to see Kerr Road be further extended as a higher priority.

Mr Bowen was present at the forum, but his planning consultant, David Hunter from Habitat Planning, said former land owners, the Albury-Wodonga Corporation, had always identified a road be built in the area.

Mr Hunter said the preferred alignment had been settled on in consultation with NSW Crown Lands Department.

Another option further north had been ruled out because it crossed a lower lying section of Eight Mile Creek and a billabong which was a known habitat of the Sloane's Froglet.

“We also avoid some of the larger trees,” Mr Hunter said.

Also, engineers had been consulted in the decision to install culverts under the road to mitigate flood concerns.

But another speaker, Arthur Latta, said a bridge was a better option.

The average lot size within the development would be 650 square metres and open space provision had been increased to 2.65 hectares since the initial application was lodged 12 months ago.

Eight old growth trees have also been earmarked for removal under the proposal.