Future buyback land use | Resilient Homes Program

Home Buybacks are part of the Resilient Homes Program and involve the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) buying back certain homes in locations where there is a severe risk of future flood damage and a high risk to life and safety for households.

As Buyback homes are progressively removed, RA is working with stakeholders including local councils and communities on the future use of vacant Buyback land. This includes areas where there are concentrations of Buybacks such as Lismore, South Murwillumbah, Burringbar, Kyogle, Woodburn and Casino.  

Planning for the future use, zoning and ownership of areas where homes have been bought back will consider:

• flood risk
• how future land use can support stronger, vibrant communities
• community feedback about future land use priorities, ideas and concerns
• the 2022 Independent Flood Inquiry that recommended floodplains be recognised and treated as assets
• how land will be managed going forward.

The overarching goal is to achieve the best possible outcome for each Resilient Homes Program Buyback home and site and to manage this process in a way that supports community recovery.

Lismore Buyback land   

During 2026 and 2027, RA and Lismore City Council (LCC) will work together with the community to explore future uses of Buyback land in four Lismore precincts: Lismore Centre, North Lismore, South Lismore and East Lismore.

• File

  Lismore future land use precinct map (PDF 1.28MB)

There is more than 50 hectares of Buyback land across Lismore combined - the equivalent of about 70 soccer fields, though it is not all side-by-side.   

While the Buyback land is no longer suitable for residential uses, decisions on how the land will be used in future is still to be determined. RA and LCC want to work through planning provisions, flood risk, opportunities and ideas with the community before making any decisions.

Community members will be invited to share ideas, interests and concerns on how the land should be used. There will be plenty of in-person and online opportunities to ask questions and provide ideas throughout 2026. 

We will update this page with information as it is released.  You can also:

• Subscribe to newsletters on Council's website, tick the 'Future of Buyback land option'
• Contact Lismore City Council on (02) 6625 0500 for enquiries on the project
• Subscribe to RA's newsletter to receive updates about Northern Rivers programs and projects.