Monthly Community Markets will be conducted by the Narrandera Lions Club at Marie Bashir Park in Cadell Street, Narrandera, after getting the green light from the Narrandera Shire Council.

These markets will be held from 9am to 2pm on the third Sunday of each month.

They will consist of market stalls with merchandise, food services and community and aim to bring the community together on a regular basis as well as attract regional visitors.

“We believe the event will enhance social cohesion for a mixture of ages in a fun family friendly event,” a Lions spokesman said.

“Our target market is initially local residents of all ages to give them an opportunity to get together which they have had little chance to do since COVID. As it becomes an established event it is expected that visitors from through the region will attend from time to time.

“It is a well suited site featuring a well equipped playground and skate park and some fun activities can be added for the markets.”

Council’s Deputy General Manager Infrastructure Shane Wilson said the markets, on balance of all the impacts and benefits, were suitable for conditional approval as there were no substantive planning grounds as to why consent should not be conditionally granted.

• The development satisfies the provisions of the Narrandera LEP 2013 Narrandera DCP and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

• Submissions raising potential impacts have been mitigated by the inclusion of appropriate conditions.

The Council conducted a division among councillors at the November meeting to record the voting and no councillor was against the proposal.

However a submission against the DA was received from a member of the public. Matters raised in the submission were considered during the Council’s assessment process.

These related to questioning the need for another market, protection of the area of the park from vendor vehicles, noise from generators and even the Lions train disturbing the peace on a Sunday morning.

“Potentially it would be an overkill with two markets a month, the other one being the Shady Gum Markets,” the opponent wrote.

“It’s No to traffic driving across the park – stallholders can only park on adjacent streets to set up and pull down stalls and will literally be driving from one side to the other.

“Noise is another potential issue with PAs and generators as well as protection of the proposed market corner site.”

The Lions Club provided further information as a result of the submission and put forward proposed measures to manage and mitigate these concerns.

Mr Wilson said the proposal was permissible under Narrandera Local Environmental Plan 2013 and the assessment process considered the concerns raised within the submission. Conditions were applied to mitigate any potential impacts where required.

Timing of the market from 9am to 2pm will allow any food vendors to have a lunch service - a welcome addition to food trading in the town.

PAs and generators will not be used before 10am and kept at an ambient level to be heard only within the immediate area of the markets – generators should not be needed if the current park electricity was sufficient.

In relation to the noise from the Lions train an assurance was given that the horn would not be used at the park.

If the area is wet, access will only be permitted for food vans using the paths under the guidance of Council staff. Areas that are boggy will be avoided as much as possible.