The redevelopment of the Bronte RSL site has pitted residents and Waverley Council against developers. Credit:Wolter Peeters "I was worried that, if they found out where I lived, someone would come back later and commit an act of violence to further intimidate me and this could put my boys and wife at risk," he said. He spoke to police, who he said told him he could press charges – action he did not take. The incident involving Mr Lightfoot was another flashpoint in an ongoing dispute between residents and property speculators over the redevelopment on McPherson Street in Bronte – battles that are taking place across Sydney. A mini-Bondi Junction

Danny Avidan and Rafi Assouline's RDA Property Group initially wanted to build 21 apartments and a commercial space under plans submitted by the site's previous owner. An artist's impression of the previous version of Bronte Place. Developers are seeking to add a storey and seven extra apartments on top of what is shown. A former fashion mogul, Mr Avidan sought to reassure residents that their wishes would be respected after his company purchased the site from another developer in 2016. He acknowledged the site had been plagued by controversy, with residents objecting to a proposed supermarket. Property developer and former fashion mogul Danny Avidan with his wife designer Charlie Brown. Credit:Lee Besford

"We hope we are welcomed to Bronte and everyone can relax now and know we are building apartments which are approved," he told Fairfax Media. "At no time did I ever discuss extending or not extending the residential component." RDA Property Group submitted new plans last December to Waverley Council for an extra floor with seven additional apartments – a variation Mr Avidan said was permissible under planning rules. Opponents argue the new plans for Bronte Place exceed the height limit by more than eight metres and permissible floor area by 48 per cent, and set a precedent for other large-scale developments or "mini-Bondi Junctions". The developers bypassed council and took their plans to the Land and Environment Court, which held a hearing at the site on October 4 following failed mediation.

The hearing was attended by an estimated 100 people, as well as Waverley councillors and the mayor. Serious pedestrian risk Lisa Matthews, a member of the Clovelly Public School Parents & Citizens' Association, said plans for commercial space on the site will increase traffic in residential streets and a school zone. "It poses a very real and serious risk to the school community with commercial traffic in a school zone where 500 children and their families come and go each day," she said. "If approved, it is only a matter of time before a child fatality will happen." But Mr Avidan said the site had more activity as an RSL club than it will as an apartment complex.

"Surely seven more apartments will hardly increase traffic or be a concern," he said. "The lane in question has no footpath and is servicing much larger residential and commercial buildings at present. There are no kids around who could be affected in any way by this." A Waverley Council spokeswoman said the council did not support the new plans: "It would result in substantial breaches of the site specific development controls and cause adverse impacts on surrounding residents." The council agreed with many of the concerns raised by residents. "Of particular concern is the applicant's attempt to override the site specific development controls that were put in place following extensive public consultation as this erodes public confidence in the planning system," she said. She also confirmed that the developer has been fined numerous times for breaching its DA, including the use of the rear lane for heavy construction vehicles.

"Should breaches continue, further legal action will be taken against the developer," she said. Mr Avidan said the breaches were the fault of "third party contractors who have misunderstood or ignored the site rules often outside working hours". He also said he was overseas when the alleged assault of Mr Lightfoot occurred but "this contractor has been dismissed partly as a result of this". Distrust of planning laws The battle for Bronte is one of many stoushes between residents and developers across Sydney.

The NSW government's revised plan to build high-density apartments along the Sydenham to Bankstown railway corridor continues to attract opposition from residents. The Inner West Council is preparing to fight a $1.3 billion apartment project from Mirvac, which proposes building 20 towers up to 28-stories high in Marrickville. In Sydney's eastern suburbs, groups such as Save Waverley Bowling Club, Save West Bondi Junction and Save Charing Cross have been formed. Dr Laurence Troy, a lecturer at the University of NSW's City Futures Research Centre, said it "is too common" for property developers to ignore controls by councils. There were too many examples of poor developments that had failed to deliver any benefits to the community, he added.

"Our research will tell you that most people are not opposed to density per se, but are opposed to the quality of the outcomes currently being delivered." A spokesman for the NSW Department of Planning declined to comment, citing the ongoing court case.