Residents around 30 Chinbible Avenue, Mullumbimby, have been advised a proposal is being drawn up for a mix of 27 strata titled dwellings on a large 8,700m² vacant block.
Chinbible Ave is located near the Mullum Showgrounds and the flood-prone creek.
A letterbox drop to neighbours says the team of developers is led by Callum Sked.
Mr Sked caused much angst for residents around south Ocean Shores in early 2019, when he proposed eight townhouses over a water easement and Council infrastructure on a wet, forested, boggy environment at the bottom of a steep valley.
Sked later won a ‘deemed refusal’ L&E case against Council in the courts, after Council failed to assess the DA in the statutory time frame.
Those three large adjoining lots are yet to be developed.
The letter to residents around Chinbible Avenue claims the 27 ‘low set single storey’ dwellings will complement the existing Mullumbimby lifestyle and street scape’.
No fill will be imported, the developer claims.
Another five titles are also proposed at the front of the property and are without details.
Fired up neighbours
Direct neighbour, Kate Walsh, and many of her neighbours, had floodwaters through their homes in 2022.
She told The Echo, ‘Residents are shocked at the size and scope of the development. I’ve been out walking on Sunday and people are seriously fired up’.
Ms Walsh told The Echo she understands the landowner has a right to develop the lot, and no neighbours are against houses being built.
‘But any development needs to be appropriate, integrated, supported by adequate infrastructure, and responsive to what the community wants’.
She also questioned whether they can guarantee that it won’t result in more flooding.
‘Another five titles are also proposed at the front of the property. It is unclear at this stage how many dwellings these titles will have. If multiple dwellings were approved, it could bring the entire development up to over 40 houses’.
‘Given the higher density of buildings proposed, I am concerned that if approved as is, it could create unnecessary dangers to life and property’.
April 8 meeting
Kate is encouraging neighbours – many of whom are elderly – to attend the community consultation to find out more.
It will be held April 8 at the Byron Community College, room 8 from 2 till 5.30pm.
The Echo asked Mr Sked, ‘While you claim “floor levels have been set above the flood planning levels required by Council”, the recently adopted Residential Strategy 2041 relies on pre-2022 flood data’.
‘Residents next door say that they were flooded up to their thigh in 2022.
‘Will this development be based on pre-2022 flood data, and if so, why?
‘Is it a concern to the developers that this proposes buildings on a known floodplain?’
♦ Answers will be published when they are received.
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