Parklands, community hubs and environmental projects are some of the new options allowed for floodplains left vacant after the removal of ‘buyback’ houses on the Northern Rivers.

A ‘resilience-focused master plan’ and ‘specialist consultants’ were announced on Friday for a new South Murwillumbah flood buyback precinct, more than four years after the 2022 disasters.

Lismore City Council is inviting the community to have their say on a proposed planning change aimed at unlocking new opportunities for cultural, educational and commercial activity in parts of South Lismore’s rail corridor precinct.

The Richmond Tweed Regional Library Committee has resolved to sell vacant land at 1 Lancaster Drive Goonellabah. On Tuesday Lismore Councillors voted unanimously to try to purchase the area which is surplus to the Library’s requirements.

Land clearing has begun on one of the West Byron land parcels on Ewingsdale Road, owned by Tower Holdings.