The long and protracted attempt to build a residential development in a picturesque corner of Wilsons Creek has been resolved, with Byron Council approving the project earlier this month.
The owner of the 12.3-hectare site at 31 Alidenes Road, Ms Y Jiang, has been seeking planning approval to build on her land since 2019 when she sought permission for the site to be rezoned as R5 large lot residential.
This attempt was unsuccessful, but on December 5 this year, Council approved a more modest Community Title (CT) subdivision comprising 15 neighbourhood lots and one community lot.
The $1.8 million development will also feature two access roads, ancillary works, and a promise to plant 13,810 trees as part of an ecological restoration project.
While the project is smaller and less intrusive than what was previously proposed, ten nearby residents strenuously objected to the plan, citing traffic safety, flooding, density, pedestrian access, and environmental concerns.
A key issue was the current state of the intersection between Alidenes Road and Wilsons Creek Road which provides access to the site.
A previous road safety audit identified numerous deficiencies in the intersection including a lack of signage, no line marking, poor sightlines, and acute road alignment.
In a bid to address these concerns, Council’s approval for the development includes a requirement that the intersection be fully upgraded to meet current road safety standards, including provision of a channelised right turn.
Limited to one dwelling per lot
Council has also imposed a condition limiting development on each block to just one dwelling, meaning that future owners will not be able to expand the development’s population by building secondary dwellings.
Assisting Ms Jiang in her plans for developing the site was the fact that it was identified as a ‘priority site for rural living’ in the Byron Shire Rural Land Use Strategy 2017.
‘The proposed subdivision is consistent with Council’s strategic planning objectives for the site and will make a positive contribution to the supply of housing stock in the Mullumbimby area,’ Council staff said in their assessment of the proposal.
‘…The proposed subdivision design adequately responds to the constraints and opportunities of the site and complies with the relevant planning controls applying to community title subdivision.
‘The site layout avoids flood-prone land, riparian corridors, and sensitive environmental areas.
‘Building envelopes are generally clear of vegetation and most sites will require minimal excavation or filling to site a new dwelling.’
The approval was passed unanimously by councillors, except for Deputy Mayor Jack Dods who did not take part in the item because of a declared conflict of interest.
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