Karate State champion Tynikah Hick stood crying in the foyer of Lismore City Council Chambers on Tuesday night.

She’d just found out that the Northern Rivers Shukokai Karate dojo she trained at was to be closed down by Lismore City Council due to ongoing development application (DA) compliance issues. 

“I’m disappointed – I’m supposed to be going to the national championships in a couple of weeks,” Tynikah told the Lismore App.

She and her brother Christopher Hicks – who is the Australian karate champion – had been sitting in on the council meeting where councillors debated for some time whether or not to grant the karate school extra time to find another location before having to close its doors.

“I’m speechless,” Christopher said. “I want to keep training, but don’t know what to do.”

Christopher and Tynikah have been training at the Northern Rivers Shukokai Karate dojo – on Keen Street in Girards Hill - since March last year. 

At the Lismore City Council Chambers on Tuesday are: Christopher Hick, Tynikah Hick, their mum Raegyn Whittle and other students from the now-closed karate dojo.

The dojo’s head instructor Barry Potts had been in an ongoing battle with neighbours and Council over his “illegal” use of the building at 256a Keen Street. 

Prior to the building being used as a karate dojo in January 2018, it was used as a carpentry workshop. 

Barry was asked to provide Lismore City Council with a DA in order to change the use of the building to a recreation facility - and there were a number of compliance issues that Barry needed to address in order for him to operate legally in a residential zone.

Some of the problematic compliance issues included: noise impacts, signage, lighting, fencing, fire safety, car parking, pedestrian access and flood plans.

At a previous Council meeting, councillors decided to give Barry 60 days to do the necessary work to prepare the DA and address the issues.

However, at last night’s meeting, councillors were told by Council’s director of planning that Barry’s application did not contain the necessary proof that he had addressed the issues.

When Barry pointed out to Council that his DA paperwork had not even been given to councillors prior to the meeting, Councillor Battista said he was concerned that he had not seen the application.

Council’s development assessment coordinator Chris Watts was then asked to give details of where Barry’s DA had fallen short of meeting legal requirements to operate.

Barry said that his dojo was a non-profit organisation and had little money to pay for expensive tests, as required for the DA.

“The official audio testing alone costs $2750 dollars,” Barry said. “I can do the test myself without having to pay that cost.”

“And the private driveway access to the dojo cannot be made any wider to comply with access regulations – due to there being houses on with side of it.”

At the last minute, Councillors Casson and Cook tried to get an amendment up to give Barry more time to find an alternative premises, but the amendment was defeated.

Barry said he intended to use Kadina Park as a training location for his students until an alternative venue became available. 

“It’s far from ideal, but the students really need to keep training,” Barry said. 

“Maybe an old school hall or church hall could be an option. 

“If anyone has a place that would be suitable for us, I’d love them to email me.”

Barry’s email address is barry@northernrivers-shukokai.com