Rodney Stevens
Residents of Yamba’s Palm Lake Resort will soon have two Pickleball courts and a covered seating area after Clarence Valley Councillors approved the development application in a split vote 5-4 at the October 24 council meeting.
When the DA2023/0259 was placed on public exhibition by council, 21 submissions against the proposal were received raising concerns about impacts to the environment, amenity, flooding and the suitability of the development, and at the meeting councillors heard two deputations from residents against the project.
Pickleball, invented in the USA in 1965, is one of the world’s fastest growing sports and can be played indoors or outside by two or four people using racquets to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over an 86cm high net.
At last Tuesday’s meeting at Maclean chambers, Cr Karen Toms moved the council officer’s recommendation, which was seconded by Cr Allison Whaites that council:
- Approve development Application DA2023/0259 subject to the draft Advices and Conditions contained in Schedule 1.
- Replace condition 3 to use of the pickleball courts is restricted to residents of the existing Palm Lake Resort.
Cr Greg Clancy then foreshadowed a motion that council “Refuse the development application on the basis of the impact on adjacent residents and the loss of biodiversity.”
Cr Toms said Pickleball was a great way to keep healthy and the courts would be a great addition to Palm Lake Resort.
Speaking in support of the motion, Cr Whaites said Pickleball was a sport for all ages that had more than 4.5 million participants worldwide in 2022 and provided beneficial mental health benefits for participants.
Speaking against the motion, Cr Greg Clancy said he didn’t have a problem with Pickleball or people being healthy, but he did have a problem with 17 native local habitat trees being removed to construct the courts, and the trees that were listed form part of an endangered ecological community.
In support of Cr Tom’s motion, Cr Bill Day said the DA was perfectly good for Palm Lake and the applicant submitted a biodiversity statement indicating the 17 trees would be replaced.
“Plants are to occur at a ration of 2:1 of species removed and provide a voluntary environment offset onsite,” Cr Day said.
Speaking against Cr Tom’s motion, Cr Jeff Smith said he spoke to a Pickleball player and discovered the game could be played on existing tennis courts, but it was a game that is ideally played indoors due to the wind effect on the ball, with the closest location being 5 minutes away at Yamba’s Raymond Laurie Sports Centre.
Cr Smith said the proposed site was the only greenspace available to Palm Lake residents, the only area to walk their dogs, and the only shaded and communal space.
“There was a statement that only 10 to 12 tennis players that use the current court and from them there is only about four to six Pickleball players, so I really do question what the push for this development is,” he said.
Cr Debrah Novak said she wouldn’t be supporting Cr Tom’s motion on the basis of the 21 submissions and two deputations against the DA, while there was no support from the 300 residents of Palm Lake.
The DA was approved 5-4 with Cr’s Clancy, Novak, Pickering and Smith voting against.