Paul Jones, Butler Street Community Network
The contentious Byron Bay Bypass DA is now scheduled to be determined by Planning NSW’s Joint Regional Planning Panel.
We urge all community members who have been following the progress of this essential public works for Byron Bay township to attend. This meeting is our final resort short of legal recourse to insist on proper attention to due process including fair and reasonable assessment of the rail corridor alternative route in the face of dogged determination by our council to avoid this truth.
The planning panel comprise members from the following group; Chairman Gary West retired minister and National Party MP, Pamela Westing, former General Manager of Byron Shire Council and senior town planning consultant, John Griffin, engineer and former General Manager of Tweed Shire Council with alternative Bruce Clarke, environmental planning and local government lawyer and resident of Byron Shire. Local Council representatives will be Shannon Burt from council’s planning department and Cr Sol Ibrahim with Cr Basil Cameron the alternative.
The odds are stacked against us if this issue is determined on political grounds. At stake is the excellent opportunity the rail corridor route offers to this community for a cost effective, functional and environmentally sensitive solution to the town inner CBD bypass.
Council has refused to listen to the local community and refused to formally approach the NSW Government on the issue. It has instead maintained for well over two years a program for a highly destructive route along Butler Street, at extra cost and impacts on the market grounds, residential amenity, heritage values, pedestrian and cyclist safety and the protected SEPP14 wetlands.
Funding was provided for the project from the minister for transport’s office on the basis of best value based on compelling evidence, a community-driven approach to planning, road safety for all users, provisions for improved public transport and managing the impacts of planned development in Byron Bay.
The public meeting will be Wednesday June 22, 5:30pm at the Mullumbimby Council Chambers.
The railway corridor option has looked compelling for years. I’ve yet to hear a sound argument against it.