The proposal has been declared potentially "state significant", and fresh project applications are expected to be lodged by the end of next month.

But already the development and the state government's handling of it are again attracting debate, this time over the fee the NSW Planning Department will apply for processing the applications.

Documents posted late yesterday on the department's website show the development, to house up to 20,000 people, is being considered for "state significant" listing.

The project effectively collapsed last year when then planning minister Kristina Keneally conceded she breached the law in endorsing the project's concept plan and rezoning because her predecessor had signed a land-swap memorandum of understanding.

It followed a NSW Land and Environment Court decision that deemed a similar arrangement for development at Catherine Hill Bay constituted a "land bribe".

Proponent LWP Property managing director Danny Murphy said yesterday he hoped the Huntlee project could get back on track, and fresh applications would be made within two months.

Mr Murphy said the new proposal would be much the same as what was initially proposed.

The public documents show the project still entails dedication of conservation land at the Huntlee site and elsewhere in the region.

An internal department email, recently tabled to state parliament, referred to a staffer ringing Mr Murphy to advise the processing fee for any new application "would be approx $70k".

Cessnock Greens councillor James Ryan said he understood the full fee for Huntlee should be about $620,000, meaning NSW taxpayers were effectively covering the rest.

A department spokesman said it acknowledged substantial work had already been done to assess the site, and would charge for a new application accordingly.