Sydney, Apr 17 (ANI): A developer, who is hoping to build Australia's largest brothel, has told the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales that the proposal is in the public interest.

The developer is planning to double the existing business by expanding from 19 to 40 working rooms by building a three-storey extension on an adjoining Parramatta Road block.

Stiletto's in Camperdown, owned by the big-time punter Eddie Hayson, wants to spend 12 million dollars on the expansion work.

Commissioner Susan O'Neill began the hearing outside the Camperdown bordello on Monday, where a local resident, Stephen Chavura, said that he and his wife, Xanthi, bought a nearby unit after the City of Sydney rejected the development application last year.

You can't have the sort of community where you're going to have families and young children growing up, and that [the brothel expansion], the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him as saying.

While rejecting the application, councillors had cited concerns about its effect on the local area and size of the development. Liberal Shayne Mallard dubbed it the Westfield of brothels.

On Monday site inspection by the court continued inside Stiletto's.

Artazan, the company managing the project, is challenging the council's view that the expansion is not in the public interest, arguing in its submission the development would be a significant generator of employment and would therefore have an advantageous economic effect.

It told the court there would be a maximum 50 staff on the site at any one time, including sex workers, cleaners, administration and management staff.

The development is in the public interest as the regulated supply of sexual services to the community meets a basic human need, the submission read.

Artazan is arguing against eight council contentions, including the expansion's adverse effect on existing and future residential development next to the site, and its impact on parking, traffic and noise.

Council received 80 public submissions objecting to the expansion on grounds including security and over development concerns and traffic issues, but Artisan said there was no evidence the existing brothel had prompted complaints. (ANI)