The NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) has announced the public hearings into the Byron Shire Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) Planning Proposal will be February 21 to 23, at a venue that is yet to be confirmed.
Registrations open on Monday January 16 and close February 10.
The NSW Minister for Planning, Anthony Roberts (Liberal), has asked the IPC to hold the hearings and prepare advice for the government to make a decision.
It comes after Roberts intervened recently with Byron Council’s STRA policy, which was unanimousy supported by councillors, and broke his promise to allow Council to prepare its own response to the dramatic increase of unhosted holiday letting, and the housing crisis in Byron Shire.
Despite Council already collating hundreds of submissions with its STRA policy, the IPC is again asking the community to contribute its views about the industry’s impact on the Byron Shire via submissions and public hearings.
According to Council’s Short-Term Rental Accommodation Planning Proposal Engagement Report from November 2022, there were 766 survey responses and 784 written submissions provided to Council from September 1 through to October 31, 2022.
The Report reads, ‘Overall, the feedback showed general support for some form of regulation of the STRA industry, and that better management of STRA is required, particularly to address amenity impacts’.
The Report also noted ‘Overall, there was limited support for the proposed precinct model’. For more information about making a submission or registering to speak at the public hearing, visit Byron Shire Short Term Rental Accommodation Planning Proposal.
