THE BYRON SHIRE
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Volume 29 #13 Tuesday, September 9, 2014 Phone 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
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I F T H E R E I S O N E I M P O R TA N T S TAT E M E N T T O M A K E …
Tradies & Mungo’s Byron dishes Cape Byron Sport leads A look at Inside Steiner the pack what’s new technologists Twitter demise up the good this – p18 – p32–36 – p17 – p16 untrue – p9 life – p24–28 week
Byron Shire Council Notices Page 41–42
Bureaucrat roadblock Celebrating this living earth Sydney-based planners refuse to disclose key briefing notes on West Byron Hans Lovejoy
NSW planning staff are refusing to be transparent with the community after key information was omitted from a freedom of information request regarding the proposed West Byron Project. The 108-hectare site development west of Byron Bay could contain upward of 800 homes and is expected to be approved shortly. Lodged by the Byron Residents Group, the Government Information Public Access (GIPA) request sought to reveal the planning department’s briefing notes to planning minister Pru Goward. Questions to the department from The Echo regarding the refusal were also stonewalled. Within the 142 pages provided, much related to the already available Byron Council’s Koala Habitat Study. Nothing was divulged on reports or comments on the Belongil Estuary, acid sulfate soils or traffic management. But the files did reveal that as far back as 2009, then-planning minister Kristina Keneally (Labor) pushed the project on Council. In a letter to the general manager, she said, ‘With the Byron area facing significant issues of housing affordability and land availability, the lack of progress in the planning of the West Byron Urban Release Area for residential land release, is of significant concern.’ While an appeal will reassess the GIPA request, the residents group’s Cate Coorey said, ‘What is very clear from this request is that the
department of planning appears to be doing nothing about truly assessing the merits of this rezoning and development proposal and is simply accepting the information from developers uncritically. ‘We would like to know why the department is failing to properly assess West Byron. It is not the function of the department to just rubber stamp developers’ proposals.’ When asked if the lack of transparency was of concern, local MP Don Page (Nationals) said that while he supports transparency, ‘I’m not an expert on the GIPA Act.’ ‘The presumption should be for openness and transparency.’ Meanwhile, resident Damien Antico says that at a public meeting held in December 2013, NSW planners disregarded the public’s request for a deferment until more information was supplied. He said that group included the mayor and Council’s planning manager, Ray Darney.
Public disregarded Mr Antico told The Echo, ‘It would appear that the reason for the meeting was to be seen to be consulting the community; however, our unanimous view to wait was disregarded.’ Mayor Simon Richardson confirmed with The Echo that he was present at the meeting and the group supported rezoning deferment. Mr Darney added that Council has always had concerns about the environmental and housing density constraints of the West Byron site, a position which is supported by the Byron Residents Group.
Sowing seeds of joy at Sunday’s Living Community Festival was ABC Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis, who was on hand as a keynote speaker, bamboo sculpture judge and agricultural activist. It was the fourth year for the event, held at the Mullumbimby Community Gardens. Photo Eve Jeffery
Bypass cash stumped up The surprise announcement of $10.5 million to fund a bypass of Byron Bay’s CBD along Butler Street has met with a mixed reception, with residents likely to be affected saying it will ‘wreck the town and community.’ In contrast, mayor Simon Richardson thanked the state government for the ‘once in a generation’ funding and for ‘stepping up and supporting our town’. While he acknowledged the bypass won’t solve all of Byron’s traffic problems, he said it was ‘a crucial component to help relieve some of the traffic pain our locals endure on a regular basis’. Acting premier Andrew Stoner, roads minister Duncan Gay and Ballina MP Don Page (all Nationals MPs) made the announcement in Byron Bay last Thursday, and detailed design work is expected to start imme-
diately. No time-frame has been set, but Mr Gay says his department and Council aimed to finalise plans for Council’s preferred route before the end of the year. The bypass will run from the Shirley Street roundabout along Butler Street and connect to the southern end of Jonson Street via a new rail crossing and intersection at Browning Street near the Mitre 10 store. Apart from residents, businesses located on Jonson Street will be affected. They include music, yoga, dance, martial arts studios, Byron Music, East Coast Building Consultants, along with Wicked Weasel and Mitre 10. Consultation with affected residents and businesses will be part of the Environmental Impact Statement continued on page 2