Cumbalum’s long-delayed shopping centre has taken a step forward, offering fresh hope to residents who still travel into Ballina for everyday basics like a loaf of bread or a bottle of milk.

The Catholic Church has confirmed it is proceeding with plans for a local supermarket and 11 speciality shops, while Ballina Shire Council has moved to press for clear construction timelines.

The project is being developed by St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish, which owns the corner site at Ballina Heights Drive and Power Drive (main photo) and has now received development consent for both applications.

“When complete the development will include 11 speciality shops and a supermarket,” the parish said in a statement to Ballina News Daily.

“Council granted development consent for the shopping centre’s second Development Application (DA) on November 27, 2025, which was essential for the Parish to move to the next stage of the development.

“We acknowledge the community’s frustration around the progress of the site.”

The parish said it is now assessing “considerable development consent conditions” and has authorised architects and engineers to begin preparing construction certificate drawings, the final approval step before building can begin.

Lengthy approval process

The approvals process for the Cumbalum shopping centre extended over more than two years, with the first DA lodged in 2023 and multiple rounds of additional information requested before consent was granted.

That period coincided with Ballina Shire Council being identified by the NSW Government as having the worst DA processing times in regional NSW.

The drawn-out assessment has been a recurring source of frustration for residents and forms the backdrop to the current push by councillors to seek firm construction timelines and full compliance with infrastructure contributions.

‘They are proceeding’

At the December council meeting, town planning consultant Steve Connelly, from Planners North, addressed councillors on behalf of the parish and confirmed the project was moving ahead despite an unresolved dispute over road contributions.

“Despite being uneasy about the contributions, at the very next meeting of the parish committee, after receiving the second DA, the parish decided to instruct its architects and engineers to begin the preparation of construction certificates,” Mr Connelly said.

“They are proceeding.”

He said the parish has a history of local development, with returns reinvested into community facilities, and that its advisory committee includes volunteers with development experience.

Council motion backed by all but one

Councillors then debated a notice of motion aimed at clarifying council expectations under the existing voluntary planning agreement and seeking a clearer indication of when construction will begin.

The motion, moved by Greens councillor Erin Karsten, was carried with only Councillor Phil Meehan voting against it.

Cr Karsten said the motion was intended to support council staff and the Cumbalum Residents Association, which has campaigned for years to see the commercial precinct delivered.

“I just want to acknowledge and thank council staff for the finalisation of both stages of the DA and celebrate that the Cumbalum community is now in a position to see their long-awaited commercial precinct proceed,” she said.

“This motion is in support of the council staff’s effort around the voluntary planning agreement and the Cumbalum Residents Association’s continued lobbying on behalf of their community.”

Supporting the motion, fellow A Ward councillor and Deputy Mayor Damian Loone said residents raised the lack of local shops at almost every meeting.

“This is the number one topic about what is happening, and we need to give them an answer,” he said.

“It is simply not good enough to say, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know’ or ‘I’ll find out for you’.

“This motion is about putting pressure on to get a responsible reply so our community members can be assured council is doing enough.”

Councillor Kiri Dicker described the motion as modest but necessary.

“It is just a letter. It is not admonishing anyone,” she said.

“It is simply putting a little bit of pressure on to say that this needs to happen soon.”

He said shopping centre development was commercially complex and that, beyond planning rules, the timing of construction should remain a matter for the developer.

“I am not in the world of being an authoritarian layer of government telling a developer when they must start,” he said.

“In terms of holding the stick over a business entity in our community and saying, ‘You need to start now’, I cannot do that.”

Road contributions in dispute

Mr Connelly also outlined the parish’s concern about a $1.166 million road contribution tied to the project.

He said the contribution was unreasonable because the funds would be directed to arterial roads outside the neighbourhood, even though a local shopping centre would likely reduce the need for residents to drive into Ballina for daily shopping.

“In all likelihood, the use of those external roads will be lowered by a shopping centre being in this area, not elevated,” he said.

Cr Karsten disagreed, saying the argument did not reflect what residents had told her.

“To suggest this one stop shop will serve all needs and no one will ever have to leave Cumbalum for shopping does not stack up,” she said.

Despite the dispute, Mr Connelly said the parish committee had chosen not to delay the project while the issue is resolved.

Instead, it has pressed ahead with construction design.

Councillors nevertheless resolved to send the church a clear message to hasten progress.

Mayor Sharon Cadwallader closed the debate by rejecting suggestions council “sat on its hands” and was responsible for the delays.

“I seriously think those in the community of Cumbalum have waited long enough,” she said.

“I understand the architects have been authorised to proceed, and that is good news. I think sending a clear message that we would like it to happen sooner rather than later is appropriate.”