TWEED MP Geoff Provest has criticised Tweed Shire Council's decision to defer its approval of a development application allowing the Pottsville and District Men's Shed to relocate to Black Rocks sports field.

The contentious DA has been the subject of much debate since it was first lodged in 2014 and at the November 17 meeting, the newly elected council voted 4:3 in favour of deferring the decision over a five-year licence at the site once again. Mr Provest said the Men's Shed had waited long enough for a decision.

"Three years is a long time for any final decision,” he said. "I'm disappointed in how the old councillors and the new councillors are handling it.”

During the November 17 meeting, Mayor Katie Milne and others suggested council reach out to Mr Provest to further investigate the possibility of using the suggested Crown Land available on Lot 3, Pottsville, but the Tweed MP said it was not so simple.

"Katie can say that, but for three years council has dilly-dallied and then when they get into a big mess they say the State Government should do something now,” Mr Provest said.

"The difficulty with any Crown Land is that it all currently has native title on it. You'd need to extinguish it and that process takes anywhere from six to 18 months.”

Mr Provest said had council approached him about the Crown Land option three years ago, the men might have already been able to relocate.

"I cannot say strongly enough that it is a council mess and now it's become my mess,” he said.

"It seems they've forgotten the good side of a Men's Shed.”