A final draft of the town's new strategic development plan will be available to the public from early next month. In it the town will retain its village character beyond the Hunter Expressway.

Future developments include a dining precinct and increased pedestrian access.

The Branxton Urban Design Framework emerged last year when a proposed supermarket was denied partly because it would have altered the heritage streetscape.

"The village is disrupted by noise, visual pollution and pedestrian safety issues," the report said.

"There is an opportunity, following the bypass, to capitalise of this [heritage] character to draw people from the new Hunter Expressway."

The plan is an attempt to emphasise the heritage aspects of Branxton by creating a cohesive look for central parts of the town including keeping buildings to similar sizes and creating more pedestrian crossings.

Cessnock City councillor Chris Parker said continued growth in the area and the looming Hunter Expressway necessitated a street plan.

"It's pretty urgent that something's done, given that the F3 [link] is probably only four years away," he said.

"When Huntlee was an issue there was every indication that, unless Branxton was able to retain its heritage, it would struggle to remain viable."

While the Huntlee development has since been put in limbo, the area has continued to grow.

A revised proposal for Branxton's second supermarket is expected to come before the council by the end of the year, with expectations it could open by late 2010 if approved.

Traffic remains a major issue for Branxton, with its logjammed main street requiring new parking solutions.