development · Ballina Shire Council
Ballina council rejects Wollongbar housing tenders over viability
Ballina Shire Council declined to accept any tenders for the Wollongbar Medium Density Housing project after finding the bids were not commercially viable.
Ballina Shire Council has rejected all tenders for its Wollongbar Medium Density Housing project after councillors decided the bids would not stack up commercially. The 6-4 recommendation was dealt with at Wednesday’s Finance and Facilities Committee meeting in Ballina.
The committee backed a motion that, under section 178(1)(b) of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021, council declines to accept any tenders because the submissions would not provide commercial viability for the project. It also supported cancelling the proposal for the contract under section 178(3)(a), citing the difficulty of securing competitive construction tenders.
The vote was 6-4. Cr Sharon Cadwallader, Cr Michelle Bailey, Cr Simon Kinny, Cr Damian Loone, Cr Eva Ramsey and Cr Phil Meehan were in favour. Cr Therese Crollick, Cr Simon Chate, Cr Erin Karsten and Cr Kiri Dicker were against.
Paul Hickey declared a non-significant, non-pecuniary interest in the item and stayed in the room while it was discussed.
The committee also confirmed the scope of the Ballina community safety CCTV network upgrade so the project can proceed and meet Federal Government grant conditions and timelines. That motion passed unanimously.
Councillors also unanimously approved three appointments to the Audit Risk and Improvement Committee, subject to satisfactory background checks, and named Cr Simon Kinny as alternate councillor delegate in Cr Erin Karsten’s absence.
Property decisions also took up time at the meeting. A motion to sell 89-91 Tamar Street, Ballina, through an expression of interest process was lost. Councillors then unanimously supported retaining and leasing the site, subject to further reporting.
At 26 Endeavour Close, Ballina, a proposal to pay $60,000 ex GST to Unit Committee TS Lismore Inc, sell the site by public auction and engage agents was lost. A later motion carried and backed the exit payment, expressions of interest to lease the site as-is or purpose-built, and assistance with interim boat storage for the Rainbow Region Dragon Boat Club Inc at Cawarra Park, or another location, if needed.
The committee also backed Option 1 to sell the Wollongbar project, subject to further reporting to council. A motion of dissent over the mayor’s ruling was lost.
The housing file now returns to council without a contractor attached to it. The tender process has been closed and the project will come back for further reporting.
Reference minutes
Reported from the Ballina Shire Council Finance and Facilities Committee meeting of 11 Feb 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- Ballina Shire Council rejected all tenders for the Wollongbar Medium Density Housing project.
- The committee said the tenders would not provide commercial viability and cancelled the proposal for the contract.
- The recommendation on Wollongbar passed 6-4.
- Paul Hickey declared a non-significant, non-pecuniary interest in the Wollongbar item and stayed in the room.
- Council also confirmed the scope of the Ballina CCTV network upgrade to meet Federal Government grant conditions and timelines.
- Councillors unanimously agreed to retain and lease 89-91 Tamar Street, Ballina, subject to further reporting.
- The committee later supported an exit payment and leasing expressions of interest for 26 Endeavour Close, Ballina, after an earlier sale proposal was lost.
Why it matters
- The Wollongbar vote closes out the current tender process and puts the housing project back before council for further reporting, after councillors found the bids were not commercially viable.