Saltwood @ Kinvara is a significant landholding comprising 440 ha of undulating and valleyed land in the Ballina Shire Council area near Lennox Head NSW. Development is envisaged at Kinvara in stages over at least the next 15 to 20 years.

The Saltwood @ Kinvara area is formally identified as the Cumbalum Urban Release Area B (CURA B) in local strategic plans and was zoned by the Ballina Shire Council for residential development in 2012.

The area is recognised by the Ballina Shire Council for its strategic importance in terms of accommodating future demand for housing in the Shire. It is planned to deliver 2,500 dwellings over a number of Stages.

The first planned area is planned to have around 300 dwellings out of an estimated 500 dwellings in what is known as the Northern Neighbourhood of Saltwood @ Kinvara.

The Saltwood @ Kinvara draft masterplan encompasses three main neighbourhoods: Southern, Western and Northern. A further neighbourhood – Hilltop is proposed on the ridgeline of Scanlan Lane, which will include rainforest regeneration areas.

Development of the area will occur in stages with development in the Northern neighbourhood occurring first. More detail on this area is shown to assist with feedback on the draft masterplan.

The draft masterplan adopts the following principles:

• Spatial layout of the villages to maximise connection to nature, views and integration with the distinctive and unique topography of the site. All three neighbourhoods are defined by discernible centres and well-defined edges.
• Unlocking previously un-utilised land for public uses, such as recreational walking trails, bike paths and green, natural open spaces.
• Protecting and enhancing local biodiversity, including the protection of mature trees and ecological zones, integration of nature corridors for movement.
• Spearheading sustainable development for new homes and buildings guided by a Town Architect and associated design assessment criteria to protect wildlife, introduce green streets and open spaces to create new habitat.
• Prudent flood management: ensuring the proposed development accounts properly for any changes to land fall and catchment drainage.

A range of housing options are proposed in each neighbourhood including:

• Key worker homes to retain and attract local workers.
• A range of lot sizes including modest and “missing middle” homes to support first time buyers, upgraders and downsizers.
• Sustainably constructed homes at price points that attract working families, ensuring long-term economic prosperity in the region.
• Larger lots and eco-living lots with access to nature and views.
• Capability to support integrated retirement and age care living as well as assisted living.
• A variety of housing choice for rentals.

Each neighbourhood will have access to a range of community facilities including:

• Community hubs for group events
• Parklands
• Playgrounds
• Sporting fields
• Shops and retail precincts.

Active travel, recreation and commuter connections are proposed throughout the neighbourhoods to promote walking, bike riding and e-mobility, with both across the site and to Lennox Head and Ballina.

The draft masterplan promotes walkable neighbourhood streets with the restriction of front driveways and inclusion of rear lane access to homes on significant streets.

Boardwalks within ecological and biodiversity zones are proposed to enhance access to nature and ecotourism and raise awareness of biodiversity values.

Footpaths will provide safe, comfortable, shaded, and direct connections throughout the neighbourhood. Generous pathway widths will allow for shared use with e-mobility devices.

Kinvara is an area of outstanding natural beauty and abundant tree cover. Remnant forest will be preserved where possible and extensive revegetated landscape corridors will provide additional wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities.

Our ecologists will ensure the landscape setting is enhanced based on latent ecological values with species’ endemic to the region.

It will return a large portion of the site back to its natural state prior to the introduction of future land uses.

It is recognised that surface water and flood management is a critical issue for any development at Saltwood @ Kinvara.

It is important to note that the developable areas at Saltwood @ Kinvara are outside identified High Flood Hazard areas – they are low to medium flood hazard areas.

Initial assessments for the area for the August 2024 amendments to the Development Control Plan showed no impact on regional flooding if the area were developed. Additional modelling results will also form part of an eventual Development Application for the site.

At this time the aim of the Stage 1 (Northern Neighbourhood) design is to direct some stormwater away from Ross Lane. Flows generated from the development will be contained in stormwater basins with controlled release of the stormwater to the same flows as currently exist on the site. The volume of water to the north will also be controlled for ongoing agricultural uses.

View more

• View the overall water catchment
• See planned earthworks for Saltwood @ Kinvara
• Examine current catchment management and proposed post-development management
• View proposed flood mitigation measures