Lennox Head has been a low-key and social, coastal village for some time. The community told us that these are essential characteristics to hold onto when making any improvements to the village.
The Concept Design for Lennox Head Village Centre looks at ways that we can improve public amenity and make better streets and places for people within the village centre whilst at the same time celebrating what makes it special. To create the plan we used community ideas from years of engagement.
The study area includes Ballina Street, generally between Park Lane and Byron Street, Park Lane and Byron Street approximately between Ballina Street and Stewart Street.
View the Concept Plans as individual sheets by clicking on the relevant area button.
Find out more about the village by clicking on the links below:
We have engaged with lots of people in the community since 2018.
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1953 responses to engagement activity received since 2018. |
The following place directions developed at a community stakeholder design charette held in March 2020 synthesise the community values and priorities and build upon previous engagement outcomes.
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#1 |
Minimise negative impacts on the environment and maximise climate change mitigation |
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#2 |
Offer a diversity of open spaces with a wider range of activities and amenities for all ages/interests |
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#3 |
Celebrate what makes Lennox head village special: environmental, social, economic and culturally |
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#4 |
Rebalance priority between people and cars to make it safer and more comfortable for all |
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#5 |
Create a physical environment that supports self sustaining community social activity and events |
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#6 |
Support local business diversity and fine-grain shop frontages to build attractiveness of the centre for jobs and night time economy - support diverse housing choices |
These Place Directions act as a brief to guide decision making and act as criteria for prioritising investments that will achieve the most positive impacts.
Here are some other interesting facts and observations that had to be considered.
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A lot of engagement has been undertaken with the community and key users of the village centre.
Whilst the general community vision was united and clear, a number of specific features of the village centre generated significant discussion during community engagement. Based on the further discussions and refinement that occurred at the community design charette, this is what we have done:
Some people in the community wanted to see a playspace remain as a key function within Ross Park whilst others felt that Lennox Park was a more appropriate location. The draft concept shows the playspace remaining in Ross Park for the following reasons:
Some people in the community told us that they like to use this old picnic shelter because it provides protection from the wind or because they have fond memories of using this building as a child. Others felt that it was very unsightly, barely used and blocked views to the water from the main street.
The draft concept plan shows the brick picnic shelter as being removed and the following works proposed to address some of the community concerns:
Some people wanted a public toilet in Ross Park (especially parents with younger children that cannot “hold” to get to the current public toilets at Lennox Park) whilst other felt that the toilets in Lennox Park were enough (if upgraded). Given that the concept design shows a playspace remaining in Ross Park, a single toilet facility supports this use. The toilet facility will be a single unisex adaptable toilet only. More toilet options will remain available in Lennox Park as an alternative.
The DRAFT Concept Design further illustrates and resolves concepts and outcomes of extensive community engagement undertaken since 2018 and more recently a community stakeholder design charette process undertaken in March 2020.
Seven-council staff and 17 community members representing the following groups attended:
In addition, local residents randomly selected from a database in age groups 18-34, 35-49, 50-64 and 65+ were also invited to attend. Invitations were also extended to many other groups, businesses and residents. The following people attended the design charette:
Ballina Council Staff
The design charette weekend kicked off with a presentation from Steven Burgess of Complete Streets to charette participants and the wider Lennox community. Steven Burgess is an engineer and urban strategist with 30+ years’ experience in planning and designing resilient and liveable places. His presentation looked at the long-term relationships between urban form, mobility and community vitality and opportunities to build happier and healthier towns through better street making. Steven’s presentation provided information which was useful for charette participants in developing the concept design for the Lennox Head.
Over the course of the weekend, these participants undertook a series of exercises which responded to the extensive research and engagement undertaken to date to, set the brief for the future, provide design direction and prepare conceptual designs for various precincts within the study area. The outcome of the weekend charette was a preliminary concept design!!! A full report on the Design Charette can be viewed at the links below.
Council recently engaged Place Score to undertake community engagement as phase 2 of the Lennox Village Vision project.
This Place Score offers two data collection tools, Care Factor and Place Experience (PX) Assessments.
Place Score staff, Council staff and community volunteers collected face-to-face data between the 28th and 29th September, 2019 in Ballina Street Lennox Head. This data was used as the basis for a:
These two tools act like a ‘place census’ to capture what the community really values and measure the community’s lived experience. The analysis of both data sets help identify what is important, how a place is performing and what the focus of change should be. An attribute with a high Care Factor but a low PX Assessment should be a priority for investment.
The benefits of using a Place Score approach includes:
Analysis of both survey data sets identified the strengths and improvement priorities for Ballina Street, Lennox Head.
Village centre strengths – these are aspects that should be celebrated and protected.
Improvement priorities – the aspects of the village centre that are important to people but are currently under-performing and should be addressed in a main street upgrade process.
For Consideration - attributes to be aware of as they can become more significant issues. These are areas for further consideration in the future planning for the main street upgrade process.
A big part of our planning is to conduct community consultation. Consultation to date includes:
Council undertook community engagement and completed Phase 1 of the Lennox Head Village Vision in 2018. This provided Council with an understanding of the community’s priorities for streetscape renewal works in the Lennox Head village centre.
Both two-way and one-way streetscape concept designs were included in the engagement material. When asked if a one-way traffic arrangement option should be explored for street upgrade works 68% of the 500 respondents supported further investigation, 23% were against further investigation and 9% were unsure.
In response to this feedback, Council approved a trial of a one-way traffic arrangement for the Lennox Head Village Centre.
For more information download the community survey report (pdf).
The second phase of our community consultation focused on the trial of a one-way traffic arrangement for the village centre from 11 March 2019 until 17 April 2019.
The trial was established to give the community and council a practical understanding of how a one-way traffic arrangement and how various parking options would operate.
It was originally intended to conduct the trial through to July 2019 however following a forum hosted by the Lennox Head Chamber of Commerce many businesses expressed concern that their businesses were suffering declines in trade due to the trial, it was appropriate for Council to review the continuation of the trial.
At an extraordinary Council meeting on Monday 15 April 2019, Council approved the immediate cessation of the one way traffic trial for Lennox Head and resolved to advance the planning for the Lennox Head Village Renewal project based on the existing two-way traffic flow.
Council engaged Place Score to undertake community engagement as phase 2 of the Lennox Village Vision project. Place Score offers two data collection tools, Care Factor and Place Experience (PX) Assessments.
Place Score staff, Council staff and community volunteers collected face-to-face data between 28-29 September 2019 in Ballina Street Lennox Head.
This data was used as the basis for a Town Centre Community Insights Report (pdf), and PX report for the main street (pdf)
Ballina Shire Council received funding through the NSW Government’s Streets as Shared Spaces program to pilot temporary traffic calming and streetscape features that aim to improve safety and amenity in and around Park Lane, Lennox Head.
These features were identified through community consultation for the Lennox Village Vision project and include:
• 30km/h speed limit in the village centre
• roundabout at Ballina Street and Allens Parade
• raised speed thresholds (speed bumps) and crossing points
• a ‘parklet’ with public seating
• skatepark mural and decorative pavement treatments
• bike facilities and pathway lighting
• gravel path connecting Park Lane with the main street
Community survey results for the Streets as Shared Spaces project indicate that the temporary streetscape features in and around Park Lane, Lennox Head, have slowed traffic, improved pedestrian safety and enhanced street appeal.
The community survey, which was conducted throughout July 2021, found that the speed zone reduction to 30km/h along Ballina Street and Park Lane is a highly rated aspect of the project, with 80% of the 161 respondents wanting the lower speed zone to be implemented permanently.
Traffic data analysis conducted through the pilot project demonstrates that the traffic calming elements have been successful in reducing speeds in Park Lane to close to the 30km/hr limit. Meanwhile pedestrian desire line mapping shows that many pedestrians are choosing to cross Park Lane at the three more defined crossing points installed as part of the project. 85% of respondents indicated that defined places to cross the road should be retained or included in permanent upgrade works.
Most survey respondents felt that the temporary speed humps installed for the pilot had reduced driver speed (90%), increased drivers’ awareness of pedestrians (57%) and provided safer options to cross the road (55%). However when asked if these features caused too much confusion for drivers and pedestrians 47% of respondents said yes and 46% said no, with 9% unsure.
Council’s Road Safety Officer has advised that the speed humps are not pedestrian crossings and do not give right of way to people walking, riding bikes, or riding skateboards. People on foot or on wheels are reminded to ‘Look out Before you Step Out’. A great idea is to walk your wheels whenever you are crossing or entering the road.
Drivers and motorcyclists are reminded to slow down along Park Lane, Rutherford Street and Ballina Street as these are high pedestrian activity areas. Keep a special lookout near the Lennox Head Skatepark where children are present.
Council will continue to monitor this pilot project and use the information gathered to assist with decision making regarding permanent upgrade works as part of the Lennox Village Vision project.
The temporary streetscape features in Lennox Head were installed as part of the Streets as Shared Spaces program funded by the NSW Government.
Click on the concept plan for more details:
Stages 2 to 4 revamped Ballina Street with road reconstruction, footpaths, stormwater systems, paving, landscaping, and street furniture. Stages 5 and 6 upgraded intersections with stormwater and watermain renewal, kerbing, road reconstruction, and paving. Stage 7, finished in March 2024, introduced the Lennox Park Upgrade, including a new bus stop, amenities, footpaths, and landscaping enhancements.
The General Manager
Ballina Shire Council
PO Box 450
Ballina NSW 2478
40 Cherry Street
Ballina NSW 2478
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489 car spaces in the main village block
435m
1 space : 9 people
54% of people