From 4WD regulation to the number undetermined DAs – what Ballina Council will discuss this week

Affordable housing projects, upgrades for Lennox Head Public School and feedback from the community about the local art gallery are also part of the agenda.

A motion by Councillor Steve McCarthy for this week’s Ballina Shire Council meeting called for the development of an online app “that would monitor 4WD movements on crownreserves and other public land”.

From a possible app to record 4WD vehicle access to Ballina beaches to a mega-subdivision in Lennox Head, council will debate a number of different topics this week.

After the Local Government elections were delayed to December 16, Ballina Shire Council will now meet online for an ordinary meeting on Thursday.

These are just some of the topics to be discussed:

1. Lennox’s Reservoir Hill DA

A development application for Reservoir Hill, 20 North Creek Road, Lennox Head, was lodged on February 2018 for the subdivision of land to create 99 residential lots, five super lots subject to future development applications, and associated infrastructure works.

This was approved in August 2020 subject to conditions.

The application was then amended and in December 2020, the new application was approved for a 18-lot subdivision and associated subdivision works within Lot 102.

The planning proposal was publicly exhibited in 2019 and 22 submissions were received, raising issues related to traffic and site access.

Staff have recommended the local environment plan was amended and the application approved.

2. 4WD access regulation

A motion by councillor Steve McCarthy calls for the development of an online app “that would monitor 4WD movements on crown reserves and other public land”.

The motion asked for State Government support to assist in the development of a software application to “assist in the potential reopening of areas such as South Ballina Beach to 4WD movements”.

3. Lennox Head Public School

A motion by Cr Sharon Cadwallader seeks information from the Department of Education on the upgrade of the Lennox Head Public School after parents asked the NSW Government to update the project given the explosion in number of children attending the school in the last five years.

4. Affordable housing

A motion by councillor Jeff Johnson would ask for State Government support to create affordable housing developments at Ballina’s old depot site.

The project would be a joint venture model where the State Government would contribute the land and council would finance the development of the site.

After a previous request from the council, the Department of Planning, Industry & Environment said a compulsorily purchase of the land through the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 would effectively be at market value.

The number of outstanding development applications (processing for more than 90 days) in Ballina Shire by June 2021 was 376.

5. Explosion in number of undetermined development applications

According to council staff in a report to councillors, there has been a trend for an increasing number of development applications remaining undetermined in the council’s assessment system since March 2021.

“This is a reflection of application volumes and complexity, as well as some position vacancies arising in the first half of 2021,” the document stated.

The number of outstanding applications – processing for more than 90 days – by June 2021 was 376, versus 259 at June 2020.

6. Council elections

The Local Government Election was originally scheduled for September 2020, and was deferred by the State Government to September 4, 2021, and then postponed again to Saturday, December 4, 2021.

With postal voting closing on December 17, according to the NSW Electoral Commission, the council staff expects results of polls to be declared progressively as voting is finalised, between December 21 and 23.

Due to this, councillors could cancel their meeting scheduled for December 16, with the final meeting of 2021 scheduled for November 25.

The Northern Rivers Community gallery is located in the old Ballina council chambers.

7. Northern Rivers Community Gallery

Community feedback on the future of the gallery pointed to two main desires – for the space to feature art by local residents and for the shows to captivate the public.

A willingness to “be bold and take risks” in relation to programming across both consultation groups was highlighted as a way to “establish Ballina as an arts destination”.