Prime agricultural land to be rezoned for development in Lismore

Last night’s Lismore Council meeting unanimously passed a voluntary planning agreement to rezone 70 hectares of prime agricultural land at 1055 Bruxner Highway. 

The site fronts Oliver Avenue where a $14.2 million road extension was completed in 2023, to support the growth potential of the Goonellabah industrial precinct.

‘This is a mix of industrial, residential, mixed use with medium density residential, community and commercial space,’ Lismore Councillor, Vanessa Ekins told The Echo. 

Around ten years ago the Lismore City Council (LCC) had previously drawn a ‘pink line’ on urban development on prime agricultural land to the east which meant that they had not approved any development in that area since that point. 

However, Cr Ekins said since the 2022 flood, like her, many councillors have had to reassess their position on this decision. 

‘After the flood my position shifted,’ Cr Ekins said. 

‘While I believe we should just pick up the 2,000 houses in the extreme and high-risk flood zones the NSW Reconstruction Authority has only agreed to move 400. So as a council we need to look at how we masterplan options with developments like this and point to it so people can see where they have an opportunity to move to.’

Cr Ekins said the previous council, when she was Mayor, had planned and facilitated the approval of 4,000 lots in the Lismore local government area (LGA) but that unfortunately many of the developers have land banked those approved developments rather than develop them. Similar issues are facing Tweed Shire and other regional cities like Lismore (see Action needed on affordable housing and land banking say regional city Mayors).

‘I had hoped that the state government through bodies like the NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSWRA) would have come in and contributed to things like the infrastructure costs to these already approved developments to ensure people could move themselves, and existing dwellings, off the floodplains quickly and efficiently,’ said Cr Ekins.

The NSWRA is currently working on a site where houses can be moved to with Southern Cross University. This is unlikely to be available before 2026. 

Remaining on the floodplain

While new dwellings can no longer be built on some of the floodplain areas of Lismore this does not resolve the fact that there are 2,000 dwellings in the extreme and high risk areas. Previously the NSW government had stated that they would not, again, rescue the township of Lismore following floods and that had led to the Council Chambers being moved to Goonellabah in the 1970s with the hope that the town would shift in that direction. This obviously did not happen and instead the town moved towards levees, which are effective, until they are not as we saw in the 2022 flood. Then the town needed rescuing again in 2022.

Lismore to Ballina development corridor

‘The site at 1055 Bruxner Highway will have some blocks where people can relocate houses from the floodplain,’ explained Cr Ekins. 

‘We are now looking at focussing on land between Lismore and Ballina in particular for key worker housing for teachers, hospital staff, and workers. We are hoping this will supply affordable housing for people in Lismore as well as the region.’

The approval of 1055 Bruxner Highway ‘would pave the way for approximately 350 new residential lots including a medium-density precinct, alongside over 100 commercial and industrial lots catering to diverse business operations,’ said a LCC press release. 

‘In addition, a public recreation zone along Tucki Tucki Creek would also provide significant areas for recreation and rehabilitation of an important ecological corridor and extend the existing birdwing butterfly walking track to enrich the area’s environmental landscape.’

What do you think?

Council’s Strategic Planning Coordinator, Andy Parks, said the public exhibition period was a chance for Council to let people know what is envisioned for the site and to seek feedback to ensure Council’s planning controls are aligned with community expectations.

‘Aside from outlining the proposed zones and overarching controls like heights and lot sizes, Council has prepared a Development Control Plan that provides for more detailed planning of the site,’ he said.

 ‘This includes identifying preferred land uses, the location of parks and off-road trails and how buildings are to be designed to interface with the streets.’

Mr Parks said Council has collaborated closely with landowners who have committed, through a Voluntary Planning Agreement, to provide around 6000 square metres of land for affordable housing.

Additionally, the agreement will ensure the provision of a green corridor and pathway along Tucki Tucki Creek creating an inviting space for both human and non-human residents and visitors.

The full suite of documents relating to the proposal are available for public view on Council’s Your Say site at www.yoursay.lismore.nsw.gov.au. Submissions can be made up until May 1, 2024.