The state government’s controversial holiday letting laws will be tabled at this Thursday’s Byron Shire Council meeting, with staff suggesting councillors ‘Write (again) to the minister for planning to seek an urgent meeting to request a deferral of Byron Shire from the new state-wide planning rules (pause to implementation).’
Staff say the pause is ‘necessary to enable a full consideration of the current impact of […] the proposed planning rule changes.’
They say short-term rental accommodation in Byron Shire will have environmental, social and economic impacts.
The NSW Department of Planning’s Short Term Rental Accommodation Planning Framework has been criticised for the potential burden it would place on councils in regards to enforcement.
A ‘lack of [a] coherent registration system’ has also been flagged by staff, along with the ‘absence of a Code of Conduct to inform the planning rules.’
The staff report also says the definition of ‘short-term rental accommodation’ and ‘exempt and complying criteria’ is ambiguous.
There are also ‘conflicts with other state government policy initiatives to address housing affordability, local character and place planning and needs [a] review.’
Staff suggest that there be a ‘local exception to the planning rules for Byron Shire through either a statewide planning policy schedule or Byron local environmental plan (LEP) amendment.’
This would include ‘a reduction in the number of days that short-term rental accommodation is permissible from 365 days to 90 days (not 180 days),’ and the requirement on the owner or manager of a short-term rental property ‘to register on a Byron Shire Council Short Term Rental Accommodation Register.’
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