The new Ballina Shire Council has voted unanimously in support of a development application (DA) for a new hotel, including variations to the standard height limit in some areas.
‘The Surf Lodge’ is to be a 35-room complex including bunk rooms, family and accessible rooms, with a swimming pool, bar, restaurant and two-level basement carpark catering to the public for a fee as well as guests.
The site encompasses two lots, 52 and 54 Ballina Street, presently home to a couple of small single-level detached houses and adjacent sheds etc.
An artists’ impression of ‘The Surf Lodge’ shows an ambitious change in design for the combined block to a multi-level cluster of unit blocks.
Of thirty submissions to the council from the public on the exhibited DA 2023/479, most – 19 – were in support, council staff notes on last week’s ordinary meeting agenda show.
Variations to usual DA standards approved
‘Overall, the proposed building is consistent with the built form objectives applying to new development in the Lennox Head Village Centre,’ staff notes read.
‘The inclusion of the ground floor restaurant, with outdoor dining, will provide for an active street frontage along Ballina Street,’ staff note, ‘and further activate the surrounding Village Centre’.
‘The proposal will result in a well-located tourist and visitor accommodation within the Lennox Head Village Centre, that will provide short-term accommodation,’ the notes continue.
‘This has positive benefits in terms of accommodation offerings in Lennox Head and associated economic activity.’
Staff note that although the development results in variations to usual council standards on building height, floor space ratio and setbacks, assessment shows they are ‘considered acceptable in this instance’.
‘Key issues raised in objection to the development included traffic impacts, construction impacts, amenity impacts including overshadowing and the scale of the development,’ the notes read.
Councillors voted unanimously in support of the staff recommendation to approve the application, including the variations, with Cr Therese Crollick absent from the meeting and vote.
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