The NSW government appears to be determined to undermine local communities with the introduction of the new short term holiday letting (STHL) legislation and has now revealed that they plan ‘to allow all Short Term Holiday Letting as an exempt development,’ said Labor candidate for Ballina, Asren Pugh.
‘This means we will see an explosion of more short term holiday letting with no way for the community to object or deal with the impacts that it is having on our community.’
Doug Luke from Victims of Holiday Letting (VOHL) said Mr Pugh is making the same point tat VOHL has been advocating.
‘The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Limited (AHURI), who have produced a peer reviewed report: AirBnb penetration for Sydney coastal suburbs, recommends that individual Council areas be allowed to develop their own strategies to deal with their particular problems with short–term rental accommodation (STRA),’ said Mr Luke.
‘On Thursday Fran Kelly on ABC RN interviewed a lady from AHURI who stated Sydney coastal suburbs Airbnb penetration is one in seven houses. In Byron Bay it is one in five!’
Your voice counts
Both Asren Pugh and Doug Luke are calling for people to make submissions totem state government on the legislation highlighting the need for local councils to retain control over how short term holiday letting is implemented in their areas.
‘Short Term Holiday Letting is gutting our local community. It is forcing long term locals to leave our towns as they simply can’t afford the rent. Ordinary members of the community can’t compete with the massive profits being gouged by absentee investors from holiday letting,’ said Mr Pugh.
‘I encourage all community members to stand up and make our voices heard. Put in a submission and let this Government know what we think of their plans.
‘We must allow more control for local councils in getting the settings right on Short Term Holiday Letting. A one size fits all policy for the whole state does not work.
‘Labor will ensure that local communities have more of a say.’
Members of the community can make a submission online before November 16.
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I see not consideration taken to the hard working residents whose foray into short term holiday letting is the only thing enabling them to continue to reside in the area they love. There would be considerably more of those then the so called “absentee investors”.
Brad, holiday letting is still development without consent in residential zones in Byron Shire. Those undertaking this cancerous activity are abetting and aiding an illegal and prohibited activity. Holiday letting will not be made legal until well into 2019.
Byron Council has legalized one bedroom B and B short term rental accommodation where the owner is ,
present in the dwelling,about 2 years ago. Most people don’t have an issue with this. It is the 75% of whole dwellings that are owned by absentee owners who don’t permanently reside in the shire that locals have an issue with.
be good if local renters kept the place clean and tidy and paid the rent on time !! lol