In a close vote Byron Shire councillors decided 5-4 last Thursday to refuse a development application (DA) for a controversial mixed residential and commercial building at 9 Station Street, Bangalow, near the A&I Hall.
Mayor Simon Richardson moved to refuse the DA on various grounds drawn from the previous DA for a similarly large building on the site.
Greens Cr Rose Wanchap again broke ranks with her colleagues to vote with the conservative bloc of Crs Diane Woods, Greg Cubis and Alan Hunter for the development with arguments about the ‘inevitability of change’ and that Council may get taken to court.
But their backing of the development narrowly failed when Crs Richardson, Duncan Dey, Basil Cameron, Paul Spooner and Sol Ibrahim voted it down, raising issues such as bulk and scale of the proposed building (its 11.7m height would be above all future buildings in Station Street, set to be 9m under the new LEP), its likely influence on the heritage status of the neighbouring A&I Hall, and its heavy use of the narrow lane to its east. Staff planners had recommended approval.
If successful the development would have included eight flats, three shops and basement car parking for 22 vehicles. During public access, town planner Paul de Fina and employee of the developer Bart Elias spoke in favour of the staff recommendation. Bangalow resident and former Byron Shire councillor Jenny Coman spoke against and had the support of several other residents in the gallery.
It is expected the developers will challenge the refusal in the Land and Environment Court.
Stupid refusal, as normal. Now the ratepayers will have to pay for another waisted court appeal that I suspect will be upheld because councillors Crs Richardson, Duncan Dey, Basil Cameron, Paul Spooner and Sol Ibrahim got it wrong again. Regards (without prejudice) Mick Marrs.
I am more than disappointed to see this D.A. knocked back. This parochial ‘quarter acre block, triple fronted brick veneer’ attitude does not belong in this time, environment, reality. The original Bangalow, as most other small villages began as a cluster for societal, financial and sense of community. What is occurring now is simply more urban sprawl, a ‘pretty faux verandah’ making a mockery of resource management and a smaller lighter footprint. Some people don’t want a media room or would prefer to live in smaller domestisity. eg. terraces of Sth Yarra, Woolahra, Paddington. Excuses of traffic congestion, school proximity are unrealistic. The very outcome of the vote should indicate that this smaller life style has merit, the basic premise is good, argue the paint colour later and just get on with what is an attractive (the corner ?) sound move forward.
my home town is Cairns and there is nothing for me to hang my memories on. Developments that are overheight to the DA should not be tolerated. You risk destroying the very essence of the village that attracts so many to Bangalow.