Size of Hilton Bluffs proposal in Sledge Forest shrinks; resident says concerns remain

CASTLE HAYNE, NC (WWAY) — The size of a controversial housing development could soon be changing, following a new application sent to New Hanover County.

Sledge Forest is an old-growth forest that covers about four thousand acres in Castle Hayne.

The developer, Copper Builders, had wanted to create a 4,000-home development called Hilton Bluffs, but the plan has gotten pushback from residents over the past few months.

A new development application shows a plan to build about 1,800 single-family homes.

Kayne Darrell is the director of Save Sledge Forest, a grassroots group against the development.

She claims Copper Builders is using a loophole for this development.

“They’re not building 1,800 homes on 1,800 acres, they’re building it on around, a little over 500 acres,” Darrell said. “And then they’re still using a density calculation of part of the original in order to put that many homes on that smaller area.”

Cooper Builders CEO Wade Miller said they want to preserve as much of the forest as possible.

“Our goal for the project is to both preserve some of the natural beauty of the property and to build a really nice development that integrates with nature,” Miller said. “We’re not planning to build on any of those wetlands, instead, where we are planning to build, is on the timberland.”

The Hilton Bluffs development does not need approval from any elected officials to begin.

A Technical Review Committee meeting for the application will be held in a few weeks.