CAMBRIDGE — A proposal to build hundreds of houses on Pinebush Road angered a number of people at a Cambridge committee meeting on Tuesday night.

First off, the plan to build more than 500 homes on 35 acres was criticized by politicians for being too cramped.

Its location also concerned them. The mostly commercial and industrial area south of Highway 401 and next to the Cambridge Smart Centres isn’t fit for a residential neighbourhood, councillors said.

It also happens to be one of the five spots shortlisted for the city’s controversial multiplex project, something the developer wanted to deal with right away.

“I can confirm that it is not our intention to use it for (a multiplex),” the developer’s consultant, Dave Hannam, told council.

“We will request that this site be removed from consideration.”

Instead, the developer wants to put up 558 townhouses, a hotel and retirement home, as well as some complementary retail such as a pharmacy.

And has asked the city for a zone change for the property known as 0 and 112 Pinebush Rd. from commercial to high density residential.

Most councillors at Tuesday’s planning and development committee didn’t like the proposal at all.

“It seems like you’re trying to push this into a very small area,” Coun. Mike Mann said.

Coun. Mike Devine noted that there aren’t any public parks or schools nearby.

“It doesn’t seem very safe,” he added.

Resident Derek Coleman told the planning and development committee they need to look at this proposal very carefully.

“This is a very important site in terms of the multiplex,” he said.

It came in as the third most desirable location in a site evaluation conducted by the multiplex task force last year. City staff said the land was valued between $26 million and $36 million.

Coleman claimed that the land was purchased by the current developer at a cost of $1.9 million in 2015.

“Where was Cambridge when that property was on the market?” he asked.

His suggestion was to build the multiplex on the property along with the proposed residential development.

“I would really like to see this deferred until after we pick a site for the multiplex,” Devine said.

City staff said it will take them time to return to council with the application.

Politicians were furious when Coleman told them he believed a few acres of mature trees were removed from a corner woodlot on the property. He said he had been eyeing the site as a possibility for the multiplex and that is how he noticed the missing trees.

“Shame on you,” Coleman said to the developer, who he accused of removing the trees.

“That is reprehensible,” Coun. Jan Liggett said.

Council asked staff to look into why trees were removed.