Years of kerfuffle and confusion over the different uses of Mullumbimby Community Garden may finally be resolved after Byron Council granted consent for the use of multiple structures at the site.
The gardens have become home to multiple local organisations in recent years, including Mullum Seed, Reforest Now, and the Mullumbimby Men’s Shed.
But this month’s Council planning meeting heard that an ‘inexplicable error’ relating to the planning rules applying to the site have placed a ‘major stop’ on the various activities at the garden.
“This has been a long process,’ said Mayor Michael Lyon, who moved the consent motion.
“And look, they haven’t done themselves any favours either in terms of unapproved structures being built. We did approve a men’s shed structure, but then they haven’t been able to use it because of the definition of a garden and whether it included a men’s shed or not.
“So this is the combination of years of work and hopefully as part of this everyone will get the message as well that they need to get approvals first before they start building structures.
The consent motion, which received unanimous support from Council, includes the use of, and additions to, the existing food co-op structure and associated shade structures.
It also provides for the use of a new cool room and new shade structures.
Men’s shed additions had also finally been approved, along with the use of existing sheds and nursery structures associated with Reforest NoW.
Conditions were imposed as part of the motion, including that a building informaton certificate be obtained for some of the structures and that building/engineers certificates be provided for others.
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