Only a week after The Mac Services Group revealed their concept plan for the site at the corner of Cope and Blacklead Roads on the outskirts of Gulgong, a petition opposing the project is already circulating in the town.

Although The Mac has confirmed contracts have been exchanged on the 60-hectare property, none of the closest neighbours knew of the plans before the preferred site was announced at a Gulgong Chamber of Commerce meeting.

At a meeting on Saturday morning, neighbours adjoining and overlooking the site spoke of their concerns for their families, peaceful lifestyle, safety and property values.

After living in Ulan for 26 years, Suzie Loughrey relocated to Cope Road to escape the expanding mines.

“Here we go again,” she said.

Maree Buckley had recently put up her Blacklead Road home for sale, planning to move to Mudgee where she works and her son is starting high school.

Now she fears The Mac proposal will make her home unsaleable.

“We chose the spot because with three growing boys, we didn’t want to be on top of people in town – we like the space,” she said.

Mrs Buckley’s parents moved from Lahey’s Creek to Armidale because of the proposed Cobbora coal mine – ironically one of the factors which has attracted The Mac group.

Dell and Will Tomlinson recently built a two-storey home on their property directly across Cope Road to take advantage of the rural view.