Clarence Valley Independent, 10 August 2022:
A new Yamba Residents Group was born, and unanimous opposition was shown to the sale of the Wooli Street hall by council at a community meeting on Saturday.
The public meeting was convened to highlight issues impacting the community including developments at Park Avenue, Orion Drive and West Yamba, the Yamba bypass and the proposed sale of the Woolli Street hall by Clarence Valley Council.
The meeting began with a screening of Suburban Intensification of Regional Towns – Urban and Environmental Planning Issues, a film by Dr Tony Matthews, senior lecturer in Urban and Environmental Planning at Griffith University.
Clarence Valley Councillors Bill Day, Debrah Novak and Steve Pickering all attended the meeting in the packed hall that the community showed it was willing to fight for.
The video, which was prepared for a meeting in 2021, illustrated seven possible issues facing the Yamba and wider Lower Clarence communities as a result of intensive residential developments such as those planned for Yamba.
Dr Matthews said the community will face issues including Traffic Congestion, Environmental Degradation, Limited Internet, Lack of Urban Greenery, Infrastructure Lags, Excessive Densities and Disappearing Backyards, many of which he said can snowball into social and health impacts on nearby residents.
Lynne Cairns then spoke about the 136 moveable home development proposed by the Homeland group for Yamba’s Park Avenue, which is currently before the Northern Regional Planning Panel for determination.
Mrs Cairns showed photos and videos of stormwater inundation in this year’s floods of properties around the Park Avenue site, which will raise by up to 1.6 metres of fill if developed, in Telopea Avenue, Yamba Road, Treelands Drive, Park Avenue and Shores Drive.
“It is going to be reconvened on the week of the 22nd of August, so we really need people to put in more submissions,” she said.
“This will be the last time you have a chance to make an impact on this development and I believe this development is just a forerunner for the future of developments in Yamba.”
Trisha Bowes then spoke about the expansion of Yamba’s Palm Lake Resort on Orion Drive, stating since the initial Development Application DA was approved, the developer has applied to modify the DA for 81 double storey houses up to nine metres in height (increased from 78 houses).
“Their latest modification is to say, on 3.4 hectares of land we are going to put 81 double storey houses, plus a clubhouse,” she said.
Ms Bowes questioned how the modification, which would see 81 double storey houses in a facility designed for seniors and people with a disability, was suitable for its target population.
“What they then say is we’re putting a lift in there…81 lifts,” she said.
“The people don’t own the land and when they buy a house they will say if you want a lift you have to pay for one and you can’t relocate it.”
Another modification to the DA, Ms Bowes said, was to move the location of the clubhouse and change the site boundaries to allow them to put the additional three houses in.
Ms Bowes reminded everyone they only have until this Friday, August 12, to lodge submissions with council concerning the proposed amendments to the DA.
Long term Yamba resident Col Shepherd then spoke about the proposed Yamba bypass, something he has been told ‘you won’t see that in your lifetime’ numerous times by council since the 1970’s.
Over the years, Mr Shepherd said there had been numerous variations of what the bypass would look like.
“Initially the idea was that there would be a bypass that would act as an alternative route from the vicinity of Oyster Channel approximately 500 metres to the south of Yamba Road, and proceed into the central part of town, he said.
“Since then, there has been change, after change…so much so that we are now talking about a bypass that is primarily from Shores Drive to town, or thereabouts.”
Since the late 1990’s costing of $6.5 million, Mr Shephard said environmental studies had forced route changes and this year council had allocated $150,000 for ‘scoping studies’ into what is required for a bypass.
Helen Tyas Tunggal was the next to speak on the growing development zone of West Yamba.
Ms Tyas Tunggal showed photos and videos of the area, which was first gazetted as West Yamba, now known as Crystal Waters, plus images and maps of the original West Yamba and Wyura areas.
The audience also saw images of more than five sites that are planned, or development was underway on Carrs Drive, West Yamba.
After a short break, Graeme Granleese then addressed the meeting on the proposed sale of the Wooli Street Hall.
He said in 2018 council resolved to expand the Treelands Drive precinct at a cost of $11.5 million and they applied for a grant of $9.9 million, with the shortfall to be covered by council.
“The other source of possible funds for this contribution is the sale of the Wooli St library and hall,” council staff reported at the time.
Mr Granleese said a recent valuation of the Wooli Street hall and library was $2.8 million
At the July 26 council meeting, Mr Granleese said it was revealed that the sale of Wooli Street hall would be used to cover the shortfall for the Treelands Drive upgrade.
Fears were expressed that once council rezones the Wooli Street hall site it could open the door to potential multi-level developments on the land.
Bobby McCaughey then also spoke passionately about the Wooli Street Hall and the diverse range of community activities it has hosted over the years…..
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