Lismore council told to be more like Richmond Valley

PLANS for a $90 million expansion of Lismore Shopping Square are back on the table, as Kevin Hogan urges the council to stop talking about "fluffy things".

A draft plan of how the enlarged Lismore Shopping Square would blend in with the planned Lismore Regional Park. Picture: Contributed

THE $90 million Lismore Shopping Square expansion is back on the table after councillors resolved to hold a workshop to discuss the contentious development in the new year.

A major supporter of the expansion, Page MP Kevin Hogan said he was glad that councillors had reset their priorities.

"It's time that councillors stop talking about 'fluffy' things like Rainbow Crossing and start focusing on things that matter to our community like jobs, like Richmond Valley Council does," Mr Hogan said.

Councillor Neil Marks put forward the motion to create "an opportunity to breathe some life" back into the proposal and facilitate "greater input" by the council and the community about potential impacts of the project.

At the September meeting, councillors shut down an opportunity to partner with McConaghy Properties in a non-binding memorandum of understanding to further investigate the expansion.

The workshop would assess aspects of the project such as the minimum land footprint required for the expansion, impacts on Humbly Oval and discuss opportunities to mitigate any repercussions a Square expansion might have on the Lismore CBD.

Cr Marks' motion also recognised the need to engage with proponent McConaghy Properties, the Lismore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and others to fully address key issues.

An amendment was moved by Cr Greg Bennett to reinforce his "conditional support" for the proposal in a bid to cater to the concerns of all councillors.

He added that the workshop should consider all options for funds raised by the sale of the council-held community land as well as alternative options for the expansion that don't involve community land.

"Those conditions need to be listened to and I don't believe they have," Cr Bennett said.

The workshop, including Cr Bennett's amendment, was supported 7-3 by council with Cr Elly Bird absent from the meeting.

Councillors Eddie Lloyd, Adam Guise and Vanessa Ekins didn't budge from their stance at the September meeting to preserve community land and voted against.

But the majority of councillors like Cr Darlene Cook said it was important "to paint a clearer picture" of how the proposal could work by consulting with the business and broader community.