The Independent Planning Commission (IPC) held its public hearings last week over two days, with commissioners hearing from organisations and residents on the negative and positive impacts from holiday letting.
The IPC is collating submissions around Council’s plans to introduce a precinct model to regulate the short-term rental accommodation (STRA) industry, something that has been strongly opposed by the sector.
After Planning Minister Anthony Roberts (Liberal) reneged late last year on an agreement for Council to self-regulate the industry, he asked both the IPC and the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) to provide recommendations to ‘improve housing affordability and rental availability in the Byron Shire’. The reports will inform the ministers’ views as to whether Council can proceed with its adopted policy.
Other NSW councils already have precinct models in place.
Apart from presentations by DPE, councillors and the STRA sector, speakers included Kim Goodrick, Jan Barham, David Wallace, Leone Bolt, Liz Friend, Sabine Muschter, Holly English, Chris Kerin, and Belinda Lewis.
Deb Summons, representing the Byron Chapter of the Australian Short Term Rental Association (ASTRA), argued that holiday homes are not suited to become or return to the rental market, something echoed by Reid Campbell from Byron Bay Holiday Hire.
Ocean Shores pharmacist, Brett Dyer, explained to the panel how difficult it is to find and retain staff owing to the housing shortage.
With her submission, Tricia Shantz quoted the 1993 book Ground Rules, Social Planning for Local Government, by Colleen Menzies: ‘Communities become ghettos when their social dynamics are destroyed and their sense of community pride is replaced by wanting to move elsewhere’.
For more information visit www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au.
Sounds like they want to stick to the issue at hand, giving them a better chance of victory, as opposed to discussing the principals involved, on which they would loose. Just give people some examples of bad things that can be made to happen once the precedent has been set. They will be supporting STRA out of self interest in a heart beat.
I think there are two distinct schools of thought in STRA: one school is made up of those who support it and the other is made up of those who have lived next to one.
Are you saying the local authorities are not enforcing ordinances for maintaining the peace? If so, you may have grounds for a law suit. If you just don’t like new people hanging around, maybe join the fight against immigration. Once the govt can tell landlords to exclude renting to certain classes of people, you will find that someone will want to exclude your kind in favour of needy third-worlders.
Nicely put