Local not-for-profit Social Futures is set to be offered a 20-year lease for the management of the old Byron Hospital site, by Byron Shire Council.
As part of the process of turning the Shirley Street site into a community hub in the heart of Byron Bay, councillors at their December 14 meeting voted to double the length of lease offered to Social Futures, at the request of the latter.
Council and Social Futures have been negotiating the lease, and a proposed rent discount arrangement, periodically since 2021.
However, in recent weeks Social Futures’ leadership have reportedly indicated to Council that without alterations to the lease term and how the rent is recorded, their occupation and management of the site is ‘imperilled’.
It has emerged that, in order to attract a university as a key subtenant for the site, a lease of 20 years must be offered for the site.
Low risk, say staff
Staff have recommended that councillors vote to amend the lease as Social Futures requested, describing the move as ‘low risk’.
At Byron Shire Council’s last meeting for 2024, councillors voted unanimously to authorise General Manager, Mark Arnold, to negotiate and settle changes in relation to the lease.
This includes offering Social Futures a 20-year lease in the hopes that this will get the negotiations over the line.
The penalty for Social Futures not meeting its key performance indicators is termination of the lease – a stipulation that was made at the request of Social Futures.
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