Resilient Lands Strategy for the Northern Rivers

The Northern Rivers Reconstruction Authority is exhibiting its draft Resilient Lands Strategy for public comment until Friday 30 June 2023. The draft Strategy applies to LGAs of Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, and Tweed. Most notably, the draft Strategy identifies 22 short, medium, and long-term development sites across these LGAs.

Last year following the significant flooding events in the Northern Rivers, we put a submission in on the North Coast Regional Plan 2041, where we outlined, among other things, our view that any future housing development (but especially critical infrastructure such as social housing) should be located above or close to modelled Probable Maximum Flood events. The exhibited draft Resilient Lands Strategy does not appear to display the intersect between ‘resilient’ growth areas and this important modelled-flood event for each LGA.

Additionally, there are no specific targets in the draft Strategy for delivery of ‘x’ number of new social and affordable dwellings on ‘resilient’ land. These are disappointing omissions in a Strategy purportedly concerned with ensuring homes are climate-ready and communities are resilient to various shocks.