Along with popular community events including the Maclean and Grafton Shows, July Racing Carnival, and the Grafton Jacaranda Festival, the Clarence Valley Independent will also be following the process of a number of ongoing projects in 2024.
The Grafton Base Hospital (GBH) redevelopment –
In late 2023, a spokesperson for NSW Health Infrastructure informed the Clarence Valley Independent planning for the Grafton Base Hospital (GBH) redevelopment, a $263.8 million investment commitment to improve health outcomes for residents of Grafton and surrounding communities, is continuing.
Member for Clarence Richie Wiliamson also reinstated the NSW Government’s commitment to the project in mid-December while acknowledging concerns raised by the local community following reports NSW Health had paused construction on the GBH redevelopment following the release of the updated Clarence River Flood Model by Clarence Valley Council (CVC) and subsequent increase in the Probable Maximum Flood Level across Grafton.
Mr Williamson said the “brief pause in the planning”, which remained in place over Christmas and into the New Year, is expected to be lifted within the coming months.
The Clarence Valley Independent will continue to report on the latest information regarding the project during 2024 while remaining in close communication with the Grafton Base Hospital Community Committee (GBHCC).
Grafton Aquatic Centre –
Almost 12 months to the day since the facility was closed in 2022, a show of hands during the Clarence Valley Council (CVC) ordinary meeting on September 26 last year to accept a foreshadowed motion 7-2 gave the Grafton Aquatic Centre the green light to proceed.
The tender for the $29.1 million project was awarded to Hines Construction, with work commencing onsite on Stage 1 and Stage 2, including the demolition of the existing 50m, dive pool and facilities, and the construction of an indoor facility, splash pad, electrical substation, an outdoor 50m pool and grandstand, and the refurbishment of existing amenities, beginning at the end of 2023.
As work continues, Clarence Valley residents are counting down the days until the project is completed, with the facility on track to reopen before Christmas this year.
Grafton Rushforth Road subdivision –
A development application DA 2023/0711 for a $6.65 million 95 lot manufactured home estate at South Grafton is currently being assessed by Clarence Valley Council.
The DA lodged by John Codling is for the demolition of existing buildings at 252 to 298 Rushforth Road and construction of a 95 dwelling manufactured home estate, a community building, a 25m by 10m swimming pool, children’s play area, community gardens, recreation areas and community title subdivision.
Gulmarrad developments –
Construction has begun on the site of the Lincoln Place 250 manufactured home development at Gulmarrad after council gave the developer the green light to build homes on site in November 2022. The site on Brooms Head Road, near Sheehans Lane, that will include a clubhouse, swimming pool, bowling rinks, tennis court is taking shape, with some roads and homes established.
A development application DA 2020/0729 for a $17 million 86 lot subdivision, shopping complex and tavern on Brooms Head Road at Gulmarrad was approved by Clarence Valley Council at their December meeting. The 12.17-hectare development by Newton Denny Chapelle on behalf of Allycass Developments Pty Ltd is on the corner of Sheehans Lane and Brooms Head Road, adjacent to the 250 manufactured home Lincoln Place site and construction is expected to begin soon.
Townsend Masterplan –
Council is developing the Townsend Community Precinct Masterplan to inform the future development of an inclusive community space proposed to be known as the Townsend Collective, proposed to encompass the Jubilee Street Reserve, which on public exhibition in late 2023. This feedback will help guide the proposed masterplan for the Reserve which explores the inclusion of an expanded Men’s Shed, Yaegl Men’s Community Space, Mudyala Community facilities, a Computer Club and a range of community-use and sporting facilities and will come before council at an upcoming meeting.
Maclean Community Precinct –
The design for the Maclean Community Precinct that initially proposed to build a two-level building with a tiered auditorium designed to seat 288 people, featuring a larger performance and backstage space, a kitchen and a café/bar to cater for events, a large covered deck area with river views, a box office space, two multi-purpose rooms, foyer with gallery space for display of artworks, audio visual control room, basement car park for 40 cars and an elevator connecting the car park to ground level will be completed this month. Council plans to issue a construction certificate in February, followed by a request for tenders, and after the contract is awarded mid this year, the project is scheduled for completion in mid-2025.
Yamba Community Centre –
Construction will commence soon on the $16.256 million Treelands Drive Community Centre after council voted 7 to 2 in September to accept a tender from Bennett Constructions. Funded by a $11.1 million Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Grant, council will contribute more than $5 million towards the construction of a new centre featuring a library, an art gallery space, a youth space, a commercial/community kitchen, meeting rooms with flexible configuration and accessible amenities.
Kahuna Carrs Drive –
A development application for a $53.68 million 284-lot subdivision on Miles Street, Yamba, which was previously withdrawn by the applicant in 2022, has been amended and relodged with Clarence Valley Council. The initial application lodged by Garrard Building Pty Ltd on behalf of Kahuna No.1 Pty Ltd was submitted to council in August 2019 for 295 lots, but following discussions it was amended in June 2021 to a 310-lot subdivision.
Hometown Yamba –
Yamba residents will encounter more truck movement when construction commences on the controversial $34 million Park Avenue 136 moveable home development with more than 30,000 cubic metres of fill to be trucked in which will be built up to 4.45 metres above sea level.
Hometown Australia lodged DA 2021/0558 with Clarence Valley Council for 136 Dwellings, one exhibition home, and community facilities including clubhouse, swimming pool, gym and cinema, associated infrastructure and landscaping in August 2021, and after being deferred twice by the Northern Regional Planning Panel over flood related concerns, it was approved in a split 3-2 vote in October 2022 with both Clarence Valley Council representative voting against.
Palm Lake Yamba –
Construction began in June 2023 on a 78 manufactured home, over 50’s lifestyle community on Orion Drive at Yamba, Palm Lake Resort, with several two storey homes nearing completion.
The development, which will feature 71 two storey homes and seven single level homes, will be constructed in four stages and include a clubhouse near the resort entrance, five roads, and three bio-basin waste disposal areas, across the 4.16-hectare site.
Uniting Yamba Road 50 apartments –
Construction will recommence within weeks on the 50 apartment Uniting development on Yamba Road, Yamba, after Sydney based company Stephen Edwards Constructions were announced as new builder just before Christmas 2023. Construction on the project came to a halt in November 2022, when Uniting became aware that work on the project had been conducted without appropriate certification, and builder GCB Constructions was asked to stop work, then in July 2023, the embattled Gold Coast based firm was placed into administration.
Habitat Yamba and Gorman’s redevelopment –
The unsightly remains of former popular Yamba seafood establishment Gorman’s Big Oyster Restaurant will be demolished and redeveloped with the owner having prepared a DA for the site. Currently the owner is negotiating access agreements for the proposed development, which will provide another spectacular facility for Yamba in a premium location.
Construction on the Habitat Yamba 17 apartment complex on Yamba Road adjacent to the Carmel Motel is set to kick off, the site has been fenced off by the developer and the turning of the first sod will happen soon. The development will feature 17 three- and four-bedroom units, a communal swimming pool, car parking and landscaping, with apartments currently being sold through Ray White Real Estate, Yamba.
Ngaru Village 38 lot subdivision –
A development application SUB2022/0017 for a 38 at lot subdivision on behalf of the Birrigan Gargle Local Aboriginal Land Council at Ngaru Village, Yamba was approved by Clarence Valley Council in 2022. The development, for which some preliminary works have been done around Rocky Laurie Drive, will be a 38-lot subdivision comprising 34 residential lots, a children’s playground, a community hall, and a community gathering area.
Council’s affordable housing strategy and housing policy –Submissions into council’s Draft Local Housing Strategy and Draft Affordable Housing Policy, which proposed future development in Yamba up to 18 metres in height, up to 12 metres in Iluka and 20 metres in Grafton closed on December 22, with a record number of submissions from residents across the valley anticipated. The feedback from submissions, which is used to guide the development of both drafts, will be presented at an upcoming council meeting.