Lismore MP Janelle Saffin joined Ballina MP Tamara Smith for a Resilient Lands Program announcement of $210,000 to Ballina Shire Council to develop more housing options across its LGA.
BALLINA Shire Council will receive $210,000 through the NSW Government's $100 million Resilient Lands Program (RLP) to help support the delivery of a range of housing options across the Local Government Area (LGA).
The funding will help Council accelerate the planning and design of medium density housing on Council-owned land at Hutley Drive, Lennox Head.
It will also assist in unlocking housing capacity in the Ballina CBD, including shop-top living, and to advocate for investment in centrally located housing.
This is the fifth announcement under the NSW Reconstruction Authority's Resilient Lands Program, which is wholly funded by the NSW Government.
It follows recent RLP announcements in East Lismore, Mount Pleasant Estate, Goonellabah, Saddle Road, Brunswick Heads, and Summerland Estate in Casino.
The funding supports planning for housing and land development identified in the Ballina Shire Housing Strategy which has a focus on delivering homes for local workers in the Ballina Shire.
The Resilient Lands Program aims to accelerate the delivery of new land and housing options, linking with the $700 million Resilient Homes Program, to give flood impacted homeowners a pathway to move to a safer location.
For more information, visit NSW Reconstruction Authority.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
"This is the fifth Resilient Lands Program announcement this year and Ballina becomes the fourth flood-impacted council to be assisted with funding under this program.
"This will really accelerate the delivery of flood-resilient land and housing options for people to move off the flood plain.
"In Ballina it will help deliver a greater range of higher density housing options in the CBD and at Lennox Head and potentially add to the social housing stock as well."
Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said:
"Flood-affected communities across the Northern Rivers region have been waiting for safer land and housing options to be identified.
"I'm pleased to see another LGA added to the councils receiving support under the Resilient Lands Program.
"The Community Leaders Forum (seven mayors and six State and Federal MPs) early on adopted the principle of equity in recovery for the entire region affected by the 2022 floods.
"This announcement for the Ballina LGA shows that we are putting this principle into action."
Acting CEO of the Reconstruction Authority Mal Lanyon said:
"The Resilient Lands Program is about giving options to families to gain access to affordable land where they want to live.
"It is a significant part of recovery which builds on the Resilient Homes Program.
"The program is also helping councils to scope out what infrastructure it needs to support really significant housing developments."
Ballina Mayor Sharon Cadwallader said:
"This funding will help us address some of the housing needs that have existed in Ballina since before the floods.
"Council can now get on with the important job of planning for this site on Hutley Drive in Lennox Head and explore options in the CBD for medium-density housing."
Member for Ballina Tamara Smith said:
"It is my hope that any council land that comes under the Resilient Lands Program has a significant portion dedicated to either social or affordable housing.
"We need genuine affordable housing for residents in our community, not expensive housing stock that is of more interest to property investors."
