Big trees threatened in Ballina

Threatened fig trees behind EV charging stations at Ballina Central car park. Photo David Lowe.

A number of trees, including two very large figs, are going to be destroyed if a proposed child care centre in the car park near Ballina Central shopping centre goes ahead.

If successful, the green area beside Bangalow Road (near McDonalds and the electric vehicle charging area), a number of other trees and part of the existing car park will be replaced by a $5 million, two storey child care centre, designed to accommodate 85 children and 15 staff from 7am-7pm Monday to Friday.

Development application 2023/52 has attracted a furious and largely negative response on Ballina Shire Council’s DA tracker site and on social media. After less than a month, the advertising/public notification period ended yesterday.

The threatened small-leaf fig trees. Photo David Lowe.

Official submissions to Ballina Council

Brett Stephenson wrote, ‘Such a shame to lose those trees. The whole block is almost all concrete except for that small area. Seeing as how the development “floats” over the land and has parking underneath why can’t it be built over an existing block of parking spaces?’

Trudi O’Neill wrote, ‘This is a terribly busy area with a major road on one side and the idea of putting a childcare centre so close to all these cars is a nightmare waiting to happen. Not only is it not safe but it’s already so congested. Crazy idea.’

Another objection came from local Julie Stephan: ‘Central Ballina is in need of more trees to provide shade, amenity, food and shelter for native fauna, and noise mitigation. The loss of these trees cannot be mitigated by new plantings which will take ten to fifty years to reach full height.’

Nick Firth wrote, ‘I would like to express my concerns about the removal of the pocket of vegetation on this site anchored by the two mature fig trees which were saved during the construction of the original shopping centre and are over 30 years old…

Threatened big fig trees behind EVs using electric chargers, part of site to be swallowed up by proposed DA. Photo David Lowe.

‘They provide habitat and shelter to nocturnal wildlife on the shopping centre side of Bangalow Road and a place to take refuge when they are trying to cross Bangalow Road to the other side where there are more mature figs.

‘There are no other mature trees with this amount of dense protective foliage on the shopping centre side of Bangalow Road in this location,’ wrote Mr Firth.

‘These majestic figs take up only a small area yet have a significant role to play environmentally and also to the cultural and historic significance to Ballina and the overall beauty of this area. The shopping centre site does not have any other mature trees and would be a concrete eyesore without them.

‘Just because these trees are on a site that is zoned commercial does not diminish their importance or hasten the need for their removal. You cannot substitute mature figs with freshly planted gardens on the same site and expect that to be adequate. It is not.’

Artist’s impression of proposed childcare centre in car park at Ballina Central. Supplied.

Aiden Plummer wrote, ‘I have lived in Ballina for 21 years and do not wish for these trees to be removed. A lifestyle surrounded by nature is why people are drawn to Ballina in the first place.

‘I do not believe that the needs of a developer are stronger than the needs of the every day residents who also have passed by these trees for the last few decades.’

Andrea Lems wrote, ‘I wish to lodge my OBJECTION to the child care centre being built at Ballina Central. Especially the removal of the two figs trees which were saved from being cut down in the past.

‘Council seem to have a real problem with retaining older trees for the simple fact that they are deemed “in the way” of a concrete construction! We have MORE than enough concrete in this town.’

Footprint of site showing trees to be destroyed if DA proceeds. Supplied.

Dangerous?

In her submission to Ballina Council, Ms Lems also said it was dangerous to put a childcare centre in the middle of ‘an incredibly busy car park’ at Ballina Central.

‘Surely there are plenty of other places in the Ballina Shire that this can be built if it is needed for families in the local area. A double-story eyesore, in the limited space in that carpark, while removing two old trees that have NOTHING wrong with them, with the constant exhaust fumes for children, just makes the mind boggle!

‘This should never be allowed here at Ballina Central,’ she said.

Carl Taylor said that when Ballina Central was originally given permission to develop the site, it was on the condition that the two mature figs be retained.

Child care centre DA notice. Photo David Lowe.

‘For a council that prides itself on retaining mature trees, I am surprised that the removal of these figs could even be considered,’ he wrote. ‘These trees must be over 100 years old and could easily be included in the development as part of the playgrounds if the building itself was moved further north or south of them.

‘Replanting by the developer won’t compensate for such mature trees and the fauna that call them home. I’m not against a child care centre being built, but the trees should be retained,’ said Mr Taylor.

Wrong place?

Cynthia Moncrieff said, ‘I cannot think of a more inappropriate location on the busy intersection of Ballina’s two main entry roads.’

Lakota Perry wrote, ‘The site is highly unsuitable for the proposed purposes and should be retained as a small, but significant natural landscape remnant.’

Local business owner Kallum Fidoe made the only public submission in support of the DA, saying, ‘Ballina is a growing region with more homes and families on the way. The council needs to begin planing for this up tick in population with infrastructure and services… Fingers crossed it is approved.’

Ballina local Barry Till wants to see the big figs behind him saved. Photo David Lowe.

When The Echo visited the site affected by the DA this week, large numbers of birds were taking full advantage of the big figs.

Local man Barry Till was also checking out the site. He said he would be really sad to see the trees go. ‘They’re over a hundred years old and they’re a great asset to the area. Such beautiful trees.’

A photo gallery of the affected area, from the ground and air, can be seen below. There will be more coverage of this issue from The Echo as this DA makes its way through Ballina Council.