THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 29 #25 Tuesday, December 2, 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
Inside this week
Mullum Shop Local THERE’S NO JUSTICE, THERE’S JUST US
CAB AUDIT
Mungo on the Steaming Mary in the The boot Christmas Health & and the time cometh Healing Vic elections issue over wetlands board – p16 – p14 – p10 weeds – p5 – p17 – p18–21
page 22 Byron Shire Council Notices Page 44–45
Mullum and Byron hospitals to close
Raising the YAC
It’s been confirmed that both the Mullumbimby and Byron district hospitals will permanently close once the Byron Central Hospital opens in 2016. Chris Crawford, chief executive of the Northern NSW Local Health District, also told The Echo that staff from those hospitals will transfer to the new hospital.
Asbestos concern
Stew Wren dredges for the Black Swamp during Saturday’s Metal United Down Under at the Byron Youth Activities Centre (YAC). It was just one of two events held over the weekend, and is a major fundraiser for the YACROCKCAFE youth music program, held on Fridays at the YAC HQ. Visit www.facebook.com/YACROCKCAFE for more. Photo Jeff ‘Darkness And Lite’ Dawson
The comments came after enquiries from The Echo as to whether an emergency ward would remain in both hospitals, given they are located in the two towns. With asbestos being identified in the Mullum hospital, Mr Crawford said it will be removed, ‘then the buildings will be demolished and the site will be remediated.’
‘The remediated land which currently constitutes the Mullumbimby Hospital campus will be sold. ‘No final decision has been made with regard to the future use of the Byron District Hospital campus. ‘Prior to any final decisions being made about the future use of the Mullumbimby and Byron District Hospital campuses, consultation will take place with Byron Shire Council and the Byron Shire community to seek their input on what use should be made of these two hospital campuses.’ The decision also means Mullum’s dedicated birthing unit will also be transferred to the new facility. When asked where the proceeds from the sale of Mullum hospital land will be allocated, Mr Crawford’s office said it is ‘yet to be finalised’.
Lennox Head development approved Darren Coyne
Ballina Shire Council has approved a $14 million residential development on the old ‘Henderson Farm’ at Lennox Head despite concerns it would place pressure on the local traffic network. The subdivision will be built in two stages, with the first stage including 159 residential lots, five public reserve lots, tree removal, civil infrastructure works and associated easements. Stage two will consist of nine residential lots and one public reserve. To be called The Outlook, the development will be built on 92.5
hectares of land adjoining the Coast Road. Cr Sharon Cadwallader, backed by Cr Ben Smith, moved a motion to approve the conditional approval despite concerns that key road infrastructure could struggle with increased traffic. Greens councillor Jeff Johnson spoke against approval, saying that although he agreed the land would eventually be developed, it was not acceptable to place an additional burden on the local road network.
Traffic burden He pointed to a traffic study showing an extra 320 vehicles a day would travel south via Montwood
Drive or Henderson Lane as a result of the development, arguing an upgrade of Hutley Drive should be completed. He said it those extra vehicles would add to an extra 571 vehicles per day from the nearby Pacific Pines, although those numbers would be alleviated by an upgrade of Hutley Drive. He said Montwood Drive would be in excess of its environmental capacity by approximately 18 per cent with both the Pacific Pines and Henderson Farm development combined. But the council’s regulatory services group manager Rod Willis assured councillors that the impacts
would be minor and that Hutley Drive would be upgraded as the development proceeded.
Three year deferment Cr Cadwallader said the council would be receiving $2.5 million in contributions from the developer. ‘By delaying this, we’re just delaying much- needed infrastructure,’ she said. Following debate, the proposal was approved with a deferred commencement date of three years. Crs Cadwallader, Smith, Robyn Hordern, Ken Johnston, David Wright and Paul Worth voted for the development with Crs Sue Meehan, Jeff
Johnson and Keith Williams against. The announcement was welcome news for Elders estate agent Michael King, who said in a press release that the highway upgrade completion, ‘will be a catalyst for an uptick in activity and values for property at Lennox Head.’ ‘History has proven that the quality and connectivity of road infrastructure plays a major role in demand for property,’ he said. ‘The Tweed Coast has gone from strength to strength since the Tugun Bypass opened, because it made the region more accessible to South East QLD, with no stops to cross the border.’