Hepburn Park pod village: Lismore councillors move to overturn decision

A pod village at Hepburn Park is back on the table after being shot down twice by council, but these councillors plan to overturn a decision to block the temporary housing project.

Lismore City councillors Councillors Elly Bird, Darlene Cook and Vanessa Ekins will move to overturn council’s decision to tell the NSW government that Hepburn Park is unavailable for housing.

A motion to overturn a decision to block temporary housing at Hepburn Park will be tabled at the next Lismore City Council meeting, after council blocked the pod village plan for the site in August.

Councillors Elly Bird, Darlene Cook and Vanessa Ekins will move to overturn council’s decision to tell the NSW government that Hepburn Park is unavailable for housing.

If the motion is successful, council will vote on whether the general manager will negotiate a two-year lease with Resilience NSW to build 50 pods at Hepburn Park, taking up an approximate 10,000 square metres.

There are still about 1000 people left homeless across the Northern Rivers post-flood who are waiting for temporary accommodation.

The decision will be debated at the Lismore City Council meeting on Tuesday, November 8.