EXTRAPOLATING FROM INCOMPLETE DATA SINCE…
Echo Property Magazine issue #5
The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 38 #26 • December 6, 2023 • www.echo.net.au
The Th h N No orthern Ri or o Rive vers rs’’ best re real esta es ttee guid guid di
24 700 copi 24
DĶſƆƐ ÉĕƆƐ Ʒſşŕ ' żƖƆIJĕƆ żōëŕŕĶŕī ſƖōĕƆ
Second tranche of ǖşşĎ ĪƖŕĎĶŕī şŕ ĶƐƆ ƱëƷǽ ƆëƷƆ l
Paul Bibby
Hans Lovejoy
lans for the first major residential development within the West Byron urban release area feature nearly a dozen breaches of planning and environmental protection rules and should not be approved, Byron Council staff say. In a significant moment in the unfolding story of West Byron, a Development Application (DA) for 310 Ewingsdale Road is due to come before this week’s Byron Council planning meeting for determination. It is the first time such an application has come before Council since the Land & Environment Court handed down its decisions in relation to development on the site as a whole. The development in question relates to a section of the West Byron site at 310 Ewingsdale Rd, which is part of the Harvest Estate. The developers, listed as 310 Properties Pty Ltd, are proposing to build 20 units spread across five buildings, and a basement carpark for 44 cars, at a total cost of $14.7m. The proposed maximum building height is 10.53 metres – an exceedance of 17 per cent above the nine-metre height development standard for that part of Byron. According to Council staff, the two and three-storey buildings also exceed the rules in terms of bulk, scale and overshadowing. They also reportedly involve the removal of 19 trees, including a number of protected species such as the rough-shelled bush nut tree ▶ Continued on page 4
A second tranche of $100m in government funds to help 2022 flood-affected residents is expected to rollout soon, says local NSW MP, Tamara Smith (Greens). She told The Echo that Byron Shire could expect approvals for house raising and retro-fits of 60 homes in Byron Shire, while 50 could be approved for Ballina Shire. ‘There were 36 buy backs under tranche one, with five completed’, she said. Of the potential 110 house raising and retro-fits for both shires, Ms Smith has asked the Reconstruction Authority, who are tasked with flood recovery, to justify the selection process, given that flooded homes just metres away from each other are either approved or denied.
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March against UN silence on Hamas attacks ▶ p5
ƖćȜƆ ōĶưĕ ŔƖƆĶĈ ƖŕĎĕſ żſĕƆƆƖſĕ Publicans Matt Rabbidge and Luke Sullivan at the Eltham Pub. Photo Eve Jeffery Aslan Shand
which they say mean they would even struggle to run the trivia night. ‘We are really proud of what we do here,’ Matt said.
Just two weeks after NSW Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, John Graham, released ‘Vibrancy Reforms’ to ‘encourage businesses to innovate and put on live performance by giving them certainty’, the Eltham Hotel had noise restrictions placed on them by Liquor and Gaming NSW. Despite the noise limits being imposed following complaints from some neighbours, other neighbours have told The Echo they support the pub’s live music, and say the publicans have always acted promptly and consulted with the community. Matt Rabbidge and Luke Sullivan took over the venue four years ago, and told The Echo that they want to resolve the noise issues with the community, while continuing to run a dynamic pub and venue. They are appealing the noise restrictions,
Want to compromise ‘But we are aware we are making noise and we want to work on a compromise. We want to operate as a pub, and hope to do some live music. We do a range of events here from “Science in the Pub” to NORPA theatre, folk and blues music – this space holds relevance as a cultural hub for all.’ One neighbour, Casey Jackson, told The Echo, ‘It is a village full of every walk of life, and this has been hard to watch. I don’t see that the boys have created too many issues. They had a loud gig here and there – but we all make mistakes.’ Phil Ridler, who moved in not long after Matt and Luke took over the pub, agrees, telling The Echo
Council to encourage long-term rentals ▶ p7
that, ‘initially there were a few noisy episodes. There were occasions when there was a bit of noise. Then they got the community together for a discussion about it’. ‘To be fair to the guys, they have done everything they could to mitigate the noise. The 9.30pm curfew was great, and really appreciated,’ he said. ‘Overall, they have consulted the community, they have bent over backwards. They have had sessions with us and have checked up. They have put so many noise mitigations in place, we don’t hear them anymore, and we don’t know when to go down to the pub when there’s a good band on.’ A ‘Save live music at Eltham Hotel’ change.org petition has reached 7,808 signatures as of Tuesday, and can be found at www.change.org/p/ save-live-music-at-eltham-hotel.
Voice post-mortem: Don’t know, don’t care ▶ p8
Be part of the art ▶ p20
Subjected to oversight Additionally, Ms Smith says that the Reconstruction Authority will finally be subjected to parliamentary oversight. ‘The terms of reference for the Reconstruction Authority Joint Oversight Committee are yet to be released,’ she said, adding that herself, and fellow Greens MLC, Sue Higginson, will be on the committee. Lismore NSW Labor MP, Janelle Saffin, also told The Echo, ‘I got the Joint Parliamentary Committee built into the law as a point of negotiation for our support’. Until now, NSW government corporations, such as the Reconstruction Authority, have enjoyed total immunity from public and media scrutiny.
Be mesmerised by the magic of Murrwillumbah ▶ p26
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