Federal MP Gai Brodtmann has come out in support of a large-scale housing development in her suburb involving the former Canberra brickworks, although local opposition to the proposal is growing.
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"I support infill because it creates density and life, which supports our public transport systems, our group centres and small business," she said on Tuesday.
She did not give a view when she attended a meeting with about 150 Yarralumla and Deakin residents on Monday night.
Ms Brodtmann, a Yarralumla resident, has previously queried the development of new embassies in the area.
Liberal member of the ACT Assembly and local resident Steve Doszpot was also at the meeting and spoke out against the current proposal.
"We are not anti-development but we are certainly anti-bad planning and, at the moment, the planning issues that the community is concerned about have not been adequately addressed," Mr Doszpot said.
All speakers questioned the development during the meeting, organised by the Inner South Canberra Community Council and the Yarralumla and Deakin residents associations.
They raised objections to the height of the proposed buildings, as well as an increase in traffic.
Some residents in the mainly older crowd at the meeting voiced concerns about having too many neighbours.
Melanie Hanna, of Yarralumla, said: "We're not against development as such. What we're against is the degree of development. Eight-storey buildings is not keeping with the essence of the building and the suburb."
The ACT government is releasing land to house about 4000 people for the development in Yarralumla.
The proposal includes medium and high-density unit blocks of up to eight storeys, as well as parklands.
Ms Brodtmann said developing the area around the Yarralumla brickworks had the potential to revitalise this important and historic part of Canberra.
"However, I do share some of the concerns of Yarralumla and Deakin residents, particularly those around traffic flow and congestion, building heights and the need for more public amenity," she said.
"Public consultation should be at the heart of any infill proposal, so I strongly encourage any Canberran with an interest in this development to participate in the process currently under way.
"I'll be putting in a submission myself based on the feedback I have heard from Canberrans.
"There is also an important role for the National Capital Authority in this process and I am eager to find out exactly how the NCA will be involved.
"The brickworks site and surrounding area has significant heritage value to Canberra so it's in everyone's interest that we get this development right."
An internal review of the project, some of which was released under a freedom-of-information request this week, noted some roads around the development were already beyond capacity during morning rush hour.
Land sales are one of the few sources of self-generating income for the ACT government.
The government cut the number of dwellings they will release on the market in the territory's 2014-15 budget, slowing the expected revenue by $244 million over four years after public service cuts were announced in the federal budget.
Yarralumla had 2915 residents in the 2011 census, earning an average salary of $71,954 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2010 estimates of personal income. Deakin had 2782 residents, with an average income of $71,957.
Submissions on the proposal close with the Land Development Agency on Monday.
