Resilient Lands Program – Frequently asked questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about the first project to be delivered under the $100m Resilient Lands Program.
Resilient Lands Program
Together, the Resilient Lands Program and Resilient Homes Program form the largest assisted relocation program in Australia to date.
The Resilient Lands Program aims to accelerate the delivery of new land and housing to provide participants of the Resilient Homes Program with more options.
The Southern Cross University and the Mount Pleasant Estate sites are the first projects to be delivered under the program. Over time, the RA will announce further land and housing opportunities as we continue rebuilding from Australia’s worst ever flood disaster.
Resilient Homes Program participants who have accepted a buyback offer will have the first opportunity to purchase new land and housing delivered under the Resilient Lands Program. Following the offer to Resilient Homes Program participants, any remaining land or homes will be made available to the broader public.
The Southern Cross University site in East Lismore has capacity for up to 400 dwellings and will be a multi-stage development. Early works are expected to start in 2024 with major construction scheduled to start in 2025. Land is expected to be available for people with opportunities to build their own home from 2026. There will be a mix of lot sizes and some mixed-use development.
The Mount Pleasant Estate site will also demonstrate a mix of small and standard lot sizes as well as detached and attached housing types with a range of price points that could be rolled out at other future Resilient Lands Program sites.
Up to 50 dwellings will be delivered on an accelerated timeframe with construction and enabling works for land sites commencing in 2024.
The cost of new land and homes will be confirmed as detailed design and planning work is completed in the coming months. The Reconstruction Authority is aiming to deliver a diverse mix of land and housing types which will be priced at an accessible price point for buyback customers.
The Reconstruction Authority will now reach out to Resilient Homes Program participants who have received a buyback offer to confirm their interest in purchasing land and housing made available under the Resilient Lands Program.
Before land and housing is released for sale, Resilient Homes Program participants will be given the opportunity to purchase the land and housing before they are offered for sale to the broader market.
Resilient Homes Program participants will also be invited to participate in optional community open days. At these open days, participants will have the opportunity to share their views about their preferred housing needs and development plans which will help inform the final construction plans.
To receive regular updates on the progress of the Resilient Lands Program, or to register your interest to purchase land under the program please email RLP@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au
The Reconstruction Authority is establishing a Concierge Service to provide a one-stop shop for Resilient Homes Program customers who have received buybacks or funding for house raising and retrofitting.
The Concierge Service team will be available to provide practical, personalised assistance as required throughout the relocation and/or construction process. The team will begin to ramp up as design and planning work for each project progresses.
Where case managers have predominantly assisted customers up until securing a contract under the Resilient Homes Program, the Concierge Service team can now begin to assist customers with next steps once they have executed their contract through services, including:
- planning approval support
- support in navigating logistics of relocation to new land or a home
- connecting customers with banks and financial professionals in order to apply for financing or better understand financing options available to them
- answering questions about how the Reconstruction Authority programs work and how they can be applied to individual circumstances.
Face-to-face Concierge support will be available at 14 Carrington St, Lismore or you can contact the RA Concierge Service at concierge@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au.
For general enquiries about the program call 1800 844 085.
A portion of each site will be suitable for relocated homes. As each project is delivered, land sites that are suitable for home relocations will be identified.
Local council planning permissions to remove and relocate homes may vary between local government areas (LGAs). Please refer to your local council for more information.
Yes. Resilient Homes Program participants in any LGA can purchase land made available through the Resilient Lands Program in any location.
Resilient Homes Program participants will be provided priority access to purchase new land and housing.
Program participants will be invited to express interest in specific lots and housing while they are being planned and constructed. Participants will be given the opportunity to inspect land and housing prior to confirming their preferences.
As land and housing becomes ready for sale, it will be offered for sale to participants who have expressed their interest in the land, before it is offered for sale to the broader public.
Participants can opt out of the process at any time if they are not ready, right up until contracts for the land are exchanged.
Land made available under the Resilient Lands Program will initially be made available only to homeowners who received buybacks through the Resilient Homes Program. Any blocks not sold to buyback recipients will then be made available on the open market.
If you are waiting for Resilient Lands Program land, you can request a delayed settlement of up to 12 months.
The Reconstruction Authority has invested in land where blocks can be priced at an accessible price point for buyback customers.
We’re also investigating a number of financial support options to assist buyback customers in re-entering the housing market.
This is only the beginning of the process, and more projects will be announced in other council areas in the Northern Rivers over time. The program is aiming to deliver new land and housing in flood safe locations close to where the majority of buybacks are located, but may also include land in more affordable flood safe areas in neighboring council areas.
Announcements about further land will be made in the coming months.
In the meantime, the Concierge Service is available to answer questions and provide assistance in relation to your specific circumstances.
We’ve rigorously assessed over 320 individual landholdings after an expression of interest (EOI) process.
This included consultation with local councils, community members, state government agencies and non-government organisations.
This project is the first to go live under the program. Work is continuing on additional projects being considered for investment under the program.
Standard DA protocols will apply. You can apply for a DA through your local council, and guides on processes are available on their respective websites.
The Concierge Service will be available to assist Resilient Lands Program customers in navigating the DA process and can link them with further support as needed.