How much is Lismore's newest suburb costing ratepayers?

LISMORE City Council is investing millions in the future of Lismore, and hopes the money will be returned via developer contributions.

PLANS for a major residential lot subdivision on the North Lismore Plateau are going ahead. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

ONE argument that's been put against developing the North Lismore Plateau is the money Lismore City Council has to borrow to pay for infrastructure, most notably linking water and sewerage mains to the plateau.

Opponent Al Oshlack has claimed the council borrowed $24 million for infrastructure and a further $10 million to build a reservoir servicing the plateau, making a total of $34 million.

Mr Oshlack said ratepayers would subsidise the development through higher water and wastewater charges and rate hikes.

The figures from Lismore City Council are somewhat divergent from Mr Oshlack's.

According to the business paper of May 2018 this year, the estimated cost to Lismore City Council of servicing the North Lismore Plateau development with water and wastewater services was approximately $19 million to $22 million.

This included an allocation of $5.5 million for part of the cost of constructing the new South Lismore Sewage Treatment Plant.

Of this amount, $3 million has already been spent, with the remainder of estimated costs being planned to be spent over the next four years.

The council also says it is spending $10.8 million for stage two of the water supply to the plateau which includes a reservoir.

Not all of this money is borrowed.

The council has planned for borrowings of $3 million in the 2021/22 financial year,with the remainder to be funded from reserves and ongoing revenue.

However, ratepayers will definitely pay a subsidy of $9.77 per annum to cap development contributions for the North Lismore Plateau and other greenfield developments.

The decision was made to try and encourage development within the city.

Lismore mayor Isaac Smith said the council was "investing in the infrastructure to make growth happen in Lismore".

Cr Smith said most of the funds would be repaid to the council through developer contributions over time.

"I'm hoping to see the plateau fully developed in 10 years. That's 5000 extra people living in Lismore."

But in order for the plateau to become fully developed, so that the council can reap the full development contributions, a second development application by the The Plateau North Property Group needs to proceed.

At this stage, it hasn't been submitted yet.

At Wednesday night's JRRP meeting, spokesman for The Plateau North Property Group, Tony Riordan, said the group was preparing to submit a development application for 800 lots - roughly twice the size of Winten's development of 433 lots.

However, Mr Riordan asked the panel to delay approving the Winten development until its concerns about adequate water supply had been addressed.

He said the group was "very concerned and extremely disappointed" that council had allocated all of the available supply to Winten.

"The allocation of the existing water supply needs to be equitable... and not favour one developer over another," he said.

Mr Riordan said The Plateau North group was being "meticulous", and "thorough" with its development application and wanted to ensure the end result was "high quality" and "properly reflected the needs of our community".

Later, a council staff member clarified that by the time the Plateau Group's development application was ready to proceed there would be more capacity available.