In a move that may become more common in the town as demand for rural housing grows, the owner of the undulating greenfield site at 403 Federal Drive has sought to create a cluster of 2000m2 lots on the site.
The owner is seeking consent to subdivide one existing 18.59ha lot into seven vacant residential/village lots located at the southern part of the site, and one residual lot that will contain an existing house.
High environmental value vegetation
The Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) submitted as part of the application states that there are several areas of high environmental value vegetation on the site, as well as a small area of flying fox habitat.
However, the SEE says that the development will not require the removal of any significant native endemic vegetation (other than a single small red kamala tree), nor impact on any nature fauna species.
The applicant further asserts that the proposed subdivision ‘will not have any impacts on the local streetscape or scenic qualities of the locality’.
Visual impacts
‘The construction of future residential buildings will have visual impacts, however, will be subject to further visual impact assessment at that time,’ it states.
‘The nature of the development is such that it is sympathetic to, and compatible with, adjoining and adjacent development.’
Though the lots will be out of the price range of most people, the applicant nevertheless states that the proposal will create ‘positive social and economic impacts from an increase in vacant residential land in Federal’.
‘Approval of the proposed subdivision will provide an extra stock of vacant residential lots in Federal and the Byron Shire and will provide increased competition in the marketplace and will provide additional and alternate lifestyle opportunities for existing and future residents,’ the application states.
However, the site is designated as bushfire prone, meaning that any future housing plans will be constrained by the requirements of ensuring bushfire safety.
Federal has seen relatively few medium-to-large subdivision applications in recent years owing to the zoning of much of the town, and topographical constrains.
However, the Federal masterplan does anticipate an increase in residential density in the coming years, along with an increase in commercial and retail development.
To view the full DA go to Byron Council’s DA tracker and search for DA number 10.2025.2.1.
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