Flood-Resilient BtR Approved for NSW’s Lismore

A $30-million build-to-rent housing project aimed at helping housing shortages and improve climate resilience in a northern NSW city ravaged by disastrous flooding has been greenlit.

The development at 138-146 Military Road, East Lismore has been approved by the Northern Regional Planning Panel and will comprise 50 residential units.

Twenty per cent has been allocated for affordable housing to support low to moderate-income households.

The plan addresses housing challenges from the 2022 floods, which devastated Lismore, claimed five lives and left thousands of homes uninhabitable.

Proposed by government developer Landcom on land owned by Southern Cross University, the development will comprise two residential buildings, one of three storeys and the other four storeys including a ground-floor car park.

It will also include 51 car parking spaces, bike racks and a communal room and will feature upgraded stormwater and road infrastructure.

The Council Assessment Report said there would be “impacts, both positive and negative, if the proposed building is approved”.

▲ A render of the build-to-rent project approved for Lismore.

It said, however, the negatives, such as “increased density housing, with increased population, in an area of predominantly single dwellings and increased traffic for residents in the immediate vicinity”, were minor while the “positive benefits for the Lismore LGA outweigh the minor negative impacts, mainly in providing much-needed housing”.

Aboriginal cultural heritage was considered during the assessment process.

One archaeological site, Crawford Road AFT 1, was identified within the study area. The council said it “should be avoided by all pre-construction and construction activities” unless additional consultation and mitigation measures are undertaken.

▲ Debris lining the streets of Lismore's CBD after the 2022 floods.

Fig trees on the site were recognised as potentially holding cultural significance for the local First Nations community, with an Aboriginal cultural values assessment recommended to ensure compliance with heritage protection legislation.

The Northern Regional Planning Panel said the project’s location was above the probable maximum flood level.

Road improvements will also form part of the development, including widening Military Road to 13m, and upgrading kerb and guttering to enhance safety and stormwater management.

The approved development is in East Lismore’s “established urban area” near the Southern Cross University Lismore campus and the Wyrallah Road Shopping Centre.

Construction is expected to begin in 2025 ahead of residents moving in by 2026.

Also in regional NSW, Landcom is advancing plans for a $30-million build-to-rent development at Bomaderry, south of Sydney.

The project would deliver 60 apartments, an increase from its originally proposed 50, with at least 20 per cent allocated for affordable housing to support essential workers and low to moderate-income households.