Welcome to the West Byron Project website. The website has been recently updated to reflect the status of the planning process as at October 2011. The Department of Planning and Infrastructure’s formal exhibition of the State Significant Site Study (which includes environmental and technical assessment reports, the proposed Land Use Plan and the Preliminary Development Control Plan) commenced on 12 October 2011 and ends on 28 November 2011. It was originally the 14 November 2011 but was extended two weeks by the Department and has now been extended again to the 14th December, 2011.
As landowners, with some of us being also long-term residents of the area, we are committed to keeping the community and other stakeholders informed about the project and seeking feedback at various points in the planning process. There is still significant planning to be undertaken after the land is rezoned. We encourage you to also view this website in the section Project – The Planning Process, to understand where we are at in relation to the planning process.
The West Byron Urban Land Release Area – is a 108 hectare site located 2.5 kilometres west of Byron Bay. The site has been earmarked for residential development since 1994. Most of this land is owned by the members of the Byron Bay West Landowners Association (BBWLA). In no particular order the owners are Tony Smith (Byron Shire local), Alan Heathcote (Byron Shire local), Gary Macdonald (Byron Shire local), Richard Sykes (Melbourne based), Crighton Properties (Mid North Coast and Central Coast based), David O’Connor (Byron Shire local), Warren Simmons ( Byron Shire Local) and Kevin Rogers (long-term Byron investor).
We recognize that West Byron is the last land that will ever be available for new housing in Byron Bay. Byron’s population is shrinking as there is no new housing and because of holiday letting. This lack of housing has pushed prices up so that the ordinary workers and locals can no longer afford to live here. We believe that adding to the supply of residential land and housing will bring prices down.
We are proposing a range a range of housing, including smaller lots and some mixed use lots so people can run their business from home. Thirty eight (38) out of 108 hectares will be kept as conservation lands. We are also wanting to contribute to finding a solution to a much needed and overdue traffic problem.
We aim to adhere to the following principles in its planning and development of the land:
- Respect and respond to the natural environment of the land and surrounding areas and the existing character of the Byron Shire.
- Seek information and feedback from the community and other stakeholders, in relation to their needs, concerns and hopes for West Byron.
- Be commercially sound, responsive to the market and utilise the Land efficiently and endeavour, as far as possible and appropriate, to support the economic growth of the local industry and community.
- Design and develop a natural and built environment at West Byron, which incorporates innovation and sustainability.
- Deliver to the community a development that provides a balance between economic, social and environmental needs and of which we and the Byron community can be proud.