The NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSWRA) intends ‘to extend temporary housing sites to a maximum of five years’ across the Northern Rivers.
The Reconstruction Authority ‘has extended Crown Lands-owned sites, including Pottsville, and is now planning to commence arrangements to extend all remaining sites,’ stated the NSWRA in a letter to Tweed Shire Council (TSC) on 23 November, 2023.
They were seeking Tweed Shire Council’s ‘in-principal support to commence negotiations with Tweed Shire Council to extend the Kingscliff site by an additional two years to June 2027’.
Kingscliff Ratepayers and Progress Association (KRPA) wrote to the TSC seeking a deferral of the decision regarding the temporary housing site on Elrond Drive, Kingscliff because they are ‘seeking an update on the operation and future of the site, particularly in relation to the key matters pertaining to the temporary flood accommodation’.
The KRPA said they are seeking information on:
- ‘The success of the program to date in not only providing temporary accommodation, but support in facilitating permanent rehousing for flood-affected residents.
- The areas from which the flood-affected residents in the accommodation are from – commitments were made that local residents would be prioritised (ie postcode 2487 and Chinderah), then the wider Tweed Shire, then from outside the Shire.
- Confirmation that the site will be returned to community green space/public reserve at the conclusion of the agreed time frame – June 2024.’
While KRPA said they were grateful for the ‘provision of temporary accommodation for some of our most vulnerable, flood affected local residents’ they were concerned that ‘priority has not been given to those Chinderah and other local residents affected by the floods and the wider Tweed district, but instead to residents outside of our shire’. They noted that there were still many people locally that required housing support and that it is ‘concerning if local residents have/had not at least been prioritised before moving further afield’.
Green space
The site where the Kingscliff pods are located is a dedicated ‘permanent passive green space with the expectation that as the community grew, this space would become an active greenspace’. Concerns were raised that ‘this project could be used as an opportunity to cut through red tape, bypass good governance/local planning frameworks and allow a more permanent development. The community at large would be against any such plans for this site.’
They also highlighted that the area is flood-prone and was underwater during the 2022 floods.
Staff recommended extension
The Council staff recommendation was to enter negotiations with the NSWRA to extend the lease. However, Mayor Chris Cherrymoved an alternative motion to defer the decision and seek a meeting with the NSWRA, community and residents.
Councillor Cherry highlighted the fact that the local community ‘we’re not consulted when we the Reconstruction Authority decided to put the temporary foot village on the site’.
‘Council has was put in a difficult position in being asked to retain confidentiality and was not able to speak with the community about this prior to offering the lease,’ explained the Mayor.
‘I think it’s a really timely moment in the whole process to stop and talk to the community about what the impacts are on their day-to-day life of the committee and so that we can make a more informed decision going forward.’
Councillor Cherry has been in contact with the NSWRA to arrange a meeting and is waiting for them to respond and arrange the public meeting to discuss the ongoing use, success and concerns related to the site.
