Rodney Stevens

The most controversial area of land being developed in the Clarence Valley is property in the West Yamba Urban Release Area WYURA around Carrs Drive, part of a natural floodplain which required hundreds of tonnes of fill before any construction commenced.

Planning for the WYURA began in 1990s, when the area of West Yamba was identified in 1995 by then then Maclean Shire Council as part of its Draft Strategic Land Use Plan 1995 – 2016.

“Numerous environmental, social, economic, cultural and feasibility studies followed, combined with peer reviews and consultation with state government agencies, environmental groups, First Nations people and the community to assess the suitability of the land for urban growth and ensure that environmentally sensitive land was protected,” Clarence Valley Council CVC states.

The West Yamba Local Environmental Study WYLES was completed in 1996-1997 and stage one and two public meetings were held, before the WYLES went on public exhibition in 1998.

In 2001, a public meeting ‘Yamba in the Future’ was held, which adopted ‘scenario two’ where 2000 additional people would occupy homes in the WYURA.

The West Yamba Local Environmental Study review, public meetings and consultations were held in 2003.

Between 2005 and 2007 the West Yamba Draft Local Environmental Plan LEP was put on public exhibition and submissions were considered before a request was sent to the planning minister to implement the plan.

The Mid North Coast Regional Strategy MNCRS 2006 – 2031 identified West Yamba as an urban release area and found 7100 more dwellings were needed in the Clarence Valley by 2031 to accommodate projected population growth.

In 2007, CVC resolved to defer consideration of the draft LEP to allow finalisation of the Yamba Floodplain Risk Management Plan, which was adopted by council in 2009.

After consideration of this strategic planning, CVC and the State Government approved land in West Yamba to be rezoned in April 2010 with an amendment to the Maclean Local Environmental Plan 2001.

This provided for 121 hectares of land zoned for housing and supporting facilities, an additional 60 hectares for rural residential development and also set aside 116 hectares designated for environmental protection.

The following year, the 2011 Clarence Valley Local Environmental Plan came into force, before the Lower Clarence Flood Model update was adopted in 2013.

Crucially, an Environmental Impact Statement EIS was not done by CVC on the WYURA despite residents calling for an EIS and a West Yamba Masterplan to be released.

The Urban Release Area Controls for West Yamba were adopted in 2015 by CVC, detailing the specific controls which guide the development; Environmental Protection, Aboriginal Cultural Heritage, Landscaping strategies and Vegetation Management plans, Open Space and Recreation, Urban Design, Flooding, Earthworks and Filling, Stormwater Management and Water Quality, Transport Management plan/Traffic Study, A Neighbourhood Centre to be located on the corner of Carrs Dr and Miles Street, all delivered in a staged strategy to ensure orderly, staged, cost efficient release of residential lots.

In 2015, 2018 and 2021, Flood Impact assessments were done on West Yamba, and in 2022 a detailed review of the West Yamba Flood Impact Assessment 2021 was completed.

Currently development approvals exist in West Yamba and construction is underway SUB2014/0016 for 161 residential lots released over three stages, DA2018/0373 193 manufactured homes known as Clifton Yamba and DA2020/0725 53 Seniors Living Units and a two-lot subdivision.

Approval was granted for earthworks and filling of land for DA2018/0553, DA2019/0492 and DA2019/0181, in the WYURA in 2019, and work has been completed.

A 284-lot subdivision SUB2023/0001 on the corner of Miles Street and Carrs Drive, West Yamba is still under assessment as council has requested more information on the proposal including urban design, stormwater, flooding and biodiversity.

A DA for a $79.7 million, 216 manufactured home estate at 120 Carrs Drive was lodged with CVC on May 4.