Motel owners on Middleton and Lawson Streets, Byron Bay, adjacent to where Byron Shire Council is constructing new car parking on crown land, are up in arms.
They have accused the council ‘substantial breaches’, say it is hacking in to valuable foreshore parkland, and claim to have launched legal proceedings over the issue.
Additionally they claim there was no notification or an opportunity to comment on the works, which are aimed at ‘increasing parking and improving traffic flow’.
Byron Shire Council announced via a media release recently that Middleton Street, which will be widened to allow 15 new car parking spaces to be established at Denning Park, near Main Beach. Eleven metres of grassed land is expected to be lost.
Manager of the Byron Bay Beachfront Apartments, Jenny McIntyre, told The Echo as holiday providers/residents, they are not opposed to the other works proposed.
‘We are concerned about the amenity loss and the lack of consultation,’ she said.
‘The works could be done without the loss of the park.
‘This parkland services many visitors and locals, including the beachside markets, recreational clubs and guests to Byron and guests of the six surrounding accommodation complexes who utilise it.
No DA required say council
Council’s infrastructure services director, Phil Holloway, did not comment on the lack of notification but said the works are being done under the NSW Infrastructure State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) and no development application was required.
‘As council is the manager of the land, the improvement project was reported to council’s Reserve Trust meeting on June 11 and endorsed.
‘Crown Lands are also aware of the project and are supportive of the upgrade and access that it provides to the public park.’
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