I can only strongly agree with Paul McCarthy and others that the creeping up, by stealth, of height limits in the Byron CBD is an important issue and could lead to the ‘Goldcoastification’ of Byron if not resolved.
But there is another process going on that could further diminish the character of Byron. This is the ‘Tweedification’ of Byron. So many beautiful old homes are being demolished and replaced by units or townhouses, many of which appear to be shoddily built for quick profit and have very few environmentally positive features in their design. I don’t know if Council has the power to designate particular houses as heritage, it’s a great pity if it doesn’t.
The real question is why are other places not under-going Byronification, and the answer is that Byron is unsustainable and always was.
Byronites have always advocated for policies that are destructive to Australia as a whole. Sooner or later the effects reach you and that is what you are seeing.
Much like California, where everyone is moving to Texas to escape California’s collapse. When they get there they advocate for the same policies that wrecked the state they just fled from.