Ms Le Couteur has gone further, suggesting the public was led to believe that one set of rules would be imposed when the reality was quite different.

"This [application] appears to have abandoned sustainability as an aim. This is highly disappointing, completely inconsistent with the vision for a sustainable Canberra," she said.

Developers SHL bought the former public housing block on Cooyong and Currong streets, and have submitted plans for a set of buildings at the Ainslie Avenue end, with the northern end to follow separately. Ms Le Couteur is one of 13 people to make submissions on SHL's application.

SHL proposes 366 apartments, commercial space, childcare and basement parking. It plans an 11-storey tower on the corner of Ainslie Avenue and Cooyong St, and a seven-storey building fronting Cooyong St, lowering to five storeys facing Currong St behind.

But Ms Le Couteur, who chairs the ACT parliament's planning committee, said the design did not properly cater for cyclists or pedestrians, paid not enough regard to liveability, and destroyed 100 trees.

It was markedly different to the 2011 planning report for the site, which heralded the development as a new benchmark in sustainability.

"The [government] told us we're going to have this highly sustainable development," she said. "I raised the fear at the time that while it looked great, it might be greenwash because unless the things they talked about were put into the precinct plan, the developers could do whatever they felt like ....

"It depends how cynical you are as to whether you feel it was greenwash or not, but that's what it turned out to be."

Ms Le Couteur said given that Purdon was both the consultant which prepared the 2011 planing report, and SHL's consultant for the latest plans, it should be aware of the "huge disconnect" between the two.

The 2011 proposal incorporated carbon neutrality, 10 per cent of power from solar, water savings, grey water recycling, energy generation, smart meters, short-term car and bike rental, and 10 per cent public housing, among a host of other measures. But much of it had been abandoned or ignored. While the verge width would be increased to six metres, a welcome and overdue change, it was being done at the expense of mature trees, and not enough was being done for cyclists.

The apartments looked to rely on air conditioning for heating and cooling, and many were without a northern outlook or cross ventilation. NSW rules now required all apartments to have a north face, and that should also be possible in Canberra, she said.

But Purdon chief executive Kristi Jorgensen said Purdon's 2010 and 2011 reports for the masterplan and Territory Plan variation covered the entire Allawah, Bega and Currong flats and a development "vastly different in land size and scale" from the current Territory Plan.

"The contents of the two reports therefore are not directly comparable," she said.

SHL's plans suggest some of the apartments will be below the minimum size. While the minimum for a one-bedroom apartment is 50 square metres, some are 46 square metres. And while the minimum for two-bedroom apartments is 70 square metres, some are 63 square metres. It was reported recently that the National Australia Bank won't lend to people buying apartments of less than 50 square metres.

But SHL's parent company JW Land insists the apartment sizes comply with the multi-unit code's criteria instead of the rule, and which is allowed in "merit track" developments.

Development director Michael Prendergast said small, medium and large apartments were included to meet diverse demand.

All apartments were "designed to facilitate indoor-outdoor living and feature functional balconies. All offered full-length bedroom storage, and the two-bedroom apartments also had a walk-in-robe.

In response to Ms Le Couteur's criticism, Mr Prendergast said JW Land's purchase agreement required it comply with the government's estate development plan. The government did not require public housing on the site. Public roads and cycle paths were on public land and outside the scope.

He rejected the suggestion it not deliver on sustainability.

"In today's market, we could not compete without demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and the environment," he said, pointing to the incorporation of an American elm, which had inspired the design.

The design maximised natural light and cross ventilation. Natural materials were being used, trees were retained and green spaces such as a roof-top garden were planned.

The basement would have bike storage and car-charging, and car-sharing and bike-sharing were being considered.

The company's application says while most of the apartments face north, north-west or north-west, 70 faced solely south. All of those would get morning and afternoon sun.