‘It can be strongly argued that there would not be a more sustainable way to provide housing within a rural area of the Byron Shire…’
This is the not-so-modest assessment of a new community title (CT) housing development proposed for Main Arm, known as ‘Hidden Valley’.
It was made by a local planning consultant hired by the developer behind the project.
But you don’t have to take their word for it.
The plans for the proposed development at 84 Blindmouth Road are currently on public exhibition on the Byron Council website, so you can decide for yourself whether such lofty descriptions are warranted.
The development application (10.2024.438.1) is for 12 neighbourhood lots on a sprawling rural property around the corner from the Main Arm Store.
The 38.15-hectare site, which contains two separate land parcels, will also involve one community association lot, an internal shared access road, and ancillary works including earthworks, drainage, services, and ecological protection and enhancement work.
MO approved
Main Arm locals and other careful readers of The Echo may recall that Byron Council already approved a Multiple Occupancy (MO) development for this site back in 2020.
Significant upgrades of Blindmouth Road have already been completed as a condition of the original MO development consent, as have a range of other works, including vegetation buffer plantings and other work associated with the vegetation management plan.
So, what’s different about this version?
Well, it appears that the new proposal includes a request for permission to build dual occupancy dwellings and secondary dwellings on each of the rural living lots if the future community title holders wish to do so.
This means that the 12-lot subdivision could end up becoming home to 24 or more separate dwellings.
There is also another reason for the new application.
Community title subdivisions have significant benefits over multiple occupancies, including the ability to attain finance to construct dwellings.
In a time of increased construction costs this is a big financial incentive to go down the community title path.
As for the claim that the proposed development is the gold standard for sustainability, the proposal will have on-site wastewater management, and the layout of the subdivision appears to utilise land that has already been disturbed while protecting areas of habitat value.
Ecological works
The developer has also promised to undertake significant ecological works on the site, including the planting of more than 10,000 trees and equivalent works.
Some of this work has already been undertaken, as has the reconstruction of Blindmouth Creek Road at the creek crossing.
Locals have until January 24 to have their say on the development, and can do so on Council’s website.
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