Alstonville residents expressed their frustration and disappointment at the recent Ballina Shire Council (BSC) meeting that the Council had not followed through with the Land and Environment Court (L&EC) determination to take down the illegal cattle yards erected by the Alstonville Agricultural Society (AAS) at the Alstonville Showground.
The AAS had received a government grant to erect the cattle yards but had failed to put in the required development application (DA) to go ahead with the project. They later claimed that they didn’t realise that they needed a DA, however, it was highlighted several times that they had significant experience in submitting DAs and should have been aware of the need for one.
Ballina Shire Council had sought to have the yards removed after they were built without approval and the AAS then took them to the L&EC. The L&EC upheld the BSC decision for removal. The AAS then brought back an altered DA to BSC renaming the ‘cattle yards’ as ‘horse yards’ and seeking approval for them retrospectively.
Multiple speakers spoke against the DA stated that the Alstonville Pony Club had not been consulted about the use of the cattle yards as potential horse yards.
‘The re-advertised DA states that the facility will be used by the Alstonville Pony Club. The president of the pony club was contacted and confirmed she knows nothing about any discussions with the society over this DA,’ said local resident Jillian Fleming when she addressed the BSC meeting during public access.
‘She also confirmed the pony club will not use the new facility as it is not fit for purpose.’
Richard Lutz, spoke on behalf of the AAS and talked about the history of the society and all the great community work they have done. He didn’t address the question asked by Ms Fleming about what horse events they proposed for the site.
Approving ‘horse yards’
Cr Simon Kinny, seconded by Cr Eva Ramsey, proposed that the DA be approved with the conditions of consent specifically prohibiting the use of the pens for holding livestock other than horses; that is the yards cannot hold cattle, including in circumstances such as ‘prior to rodeo events being held by the applicant’.
Cr Kinny stated that he was putting this motion as a ‘compromise motion’
Eyesore
Speaking against the motion Cr Kiri Dicker told the meeting that ‘this is a shocker’.
‘This is the worst example of unapproved development that I’ve seen since being elected. My concern about this is not so much that it’s going for use of cattle, I mean, the community are going to knock that on the head pretty quick. My concern about this is it will never be used for anything, because it has no user group, and it’s just going to remain there as an eyesore to neighbours.
‘I agree with Cr Karsten that the AAS plays a really important role in the social fabric of the plateau. I actually think the current committee of the AAS has a lot to answer for, and I think that they’ve shown poor stewardship over something that is an extremely important asset to the community, and they need to be held accountable for that.
‘I think it will remain as an eyesore, and I think that is known. Because I think the real issue here is that if the site has to be remediated then someone’s got to answer as to why they spent a state government grant on unapproved works? And I think that there’s a desire to avoid accountability.’
Mayor Sharon Cadwallader spoke in favour of approving the yards. When it came down to a vote the councillors vote was tied five each way with Cadwallader, Kinny, Michelle Bailey, Damian Loone and Ramsey voted in favour of approving the yards and councillors Therese Crollick, Simon Chate, Phil Meehan, Erin Karsten and Dicker voted against leaving the vote tied. Mayor Cadwallader then used her casting vote in favour of the AAS and approved the DA.
Rescission motion
Cr Dicker has confirmed with The Echo that with Crs Chate and Crollick she has submitted a rescission motion.
‘We have approved, on the Mayor’s casting vote, a development that has no identified use and which has and will continue to have significant impacts on amenity of neighbours, whose view now resembles a prison of metal bars. This sends a message to developers in the Ballina Shire that we are not serious about unauthorised development,’ said Cr Dicker.
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