The office of sport confirmed that they have ‘not prepared any reports on the economic benefits to the local businesses in the Ballina area’ in an email to Peter Drew of Ballina council, listed in the development application (DA) documents online, on the 16 May.
Economic benefit has been put forward by supporters of the Lennox Head ski jump, including local Mayor David Wright, as a key reason that the proposal should be accepted by the local community.
‘The Office of Sport have pushed the economic benefit angle on the Lennox Head community as to why the jump will be worth the detrimental damage to the coastline,’ said Michelle Shearer, spokesperson of Lennox Head Against the Ski Jump (LHATSJ).
‘We have since found out that the NSW Office of Sport has not provided any report regarding the economic benefit as part of their DA; so the criticism from the QLD State Government in 2012 (that concluded with the rejection of this development) for it having zero business case for the region stands with this DA also.
‘We believe that the Office of Sport’s argument of economic benefit to the Lennox head community is therefore unproven at best, and worst, fabricated.’
At 35m high from ground level the jump is predicted to be between ten and thirteen storeys high. Lennox Head and surrounding areas have a two storey limit on buildings height raising concerns by residents that the ski jump will be out of character for the area and will ruin the local coast line.
‘In the main, the community is united against this wildly inappropriate development,’ continued Shearer.
‘We are dismayed that despite strong community opposition, Council are unable to respond and now, because this is a Crown development, the Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRRPP) is unable to refuse it either. The decision could ultimately be made by Planning minister Anthony Roberts.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
