BE Brooks, Byron Bay
Thank you to Basil for your commitment in regards to the building height standard. I feel it would be fair to say no-one wants the Byron Shire to end up like the Gold Coast.
The development of Habitat proves that beautiful design doesn’t have to push the envelope, however, their Stage 5 DA includes 100 + hotel rooms, a Ted X centre and more retail. A contrast to the existing live/work ethos.
A supporting letter states it’s ‘important to understand the differentiation between Byron the ‘party’ town and West Byron’. The difference wasn’t explained, but it’s an interesting attitude that exists around the township of Byron. The view being that Byron is already stuffed – but everywhere else in the Shire is worth saving.
People live in this so-called ‘party’ town of Byron, just as people live in Sunrise, Bangalow and Bruns. I live in the ‘party’ town of Byron and am equally as passionate about preserving the environment we live in, the villages and towns that surround us, and the local businesses here. It feels like some folk are happy to trade on the name of Byron without caring what happens to this place many of us call home.
When it comes to overdevelopment, we are all in this together, Building more retail spaces, more hotel rooms, more wellness centres means more traffic and more pressure to fill them – and this ultimately affects everyone who lives here in Byron Shire. I am pretty sure that’s not why people live here.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
