Where to house Byron’s population

By Sarah Waters

Lack of affordable housing has been a major issue in the Byron Shire for many years - only to be magnifed by 2022 foods.

To comply with housing targets set by the NSW Government, council staff are refreshing the Shire’s Residential Strategy. The document provides the vision and framework

Locally

for how council intends to provide future housing over the next 20 years.

Mayor Michael Lyon said the frst step was to identify areas in the Byron Shire, which are suitable for residential development.

“The NSW Government recently reviewed its housing targets, and it is Council’s job to make sure that we have the planning frameworks in place that will allow for residential development to happen,” Mr Lyon said.

“Housing is the number one issue for our community and lack of affordability and supply is having a massive impact on the social fabric of our shire as well as the economy.

“We have the highest rate of rough sleepers in NSW; we have a community still reeling from the foods; we have people who cannot fnd affordable long-term housing and we have businesses who can’t fnd staff because workers can’t afford to live here.

“This refresh of the Residential Strategy is a step forward in the long-term planning for population growth – put simply – where people are going to live,” he said.

A Housing Options Paper, which is part of the Residential Strategy, sets out where housing will be delivered in the Shire, including present and future land release areas and infll development.

Mr Lyon said council not only had a responsibility to ensure it delivered housing for the community into the future, but it had to do it in a way that respected the environment.

“We also have to consider and respect the identity and character of our towns and villages.

“How to fx the housing crisis is a question being echoed across all levels of government and as a council we need to be leading this conversation to ensure we deliver the best solutions for our community,” he said.

The Housing Options Paper will go will on exhibition for community comment in early October.