Questions remain unanswered by the office of NSW planning minister Anthony Roberts MP regarding the contentious West Byron development proposed for Ewingsdale Road, opposite the Arts and Industry Estate.
The Echo asked his office last week to confirm the statements by Greens MP Dawn Walker; Ms Walker claims the traffic on the already congested Ewingsdale Road will increase, a view that is supported by the developer’s own traffic report.
The Echo asked the minister, ‘Will the minister intervene to make sure that this development will not further choke Ewingsdale Road?’
Another question to Mr Roberts was, ‘When can the public expect the new Coastal state environment planning policy (SEPP) to be gazetted? Will West Byron developers be required to adhere to this new SEPP and if not, why?’
North coast Greens MP Dawn Walker called on the NSW government to ensure any development at the West Byron site is of an appropriate scale, won’t adversely affect the operation of Ewingsdale Road, or negatively impact local wetlands or the Cape Byron Marine Park.
‘The West Byron mega-development has been forced onto Byron Bay by successive Labor and Liberal-National governments who have over-ridden Council planning powers and clearly don’t care about how this inappropriate development damages the ecology and character of Byron Bay,’ said Dawn Walker.
‘It’s time the NSW parliamentary secretary for the north coast, Ben Franklin (Nationals), stopped running around cutting ribbons and joined the Greens in trying to do something practical to minimise the impacts of the West Byron development on our community,’ added Ms Walker.
Questions to Mr Franklin regarding the West Byron development remain unanswered.
The two development applications (DAs) on public exhibition for West Byron have been extended by Council until March 30.
One DA is from ‘local’ landowners, while the other is from QLD-based corporation Villaworld, whose DA was previously rejected.
Submissions on DA 10.2017.661.1 and on the re-exhibited Villaworld DA 10.2017.201.1 should also be clearly marked with the DA number and can be sent to [email protected].
