I’m writing to raise awareness and voice my strong opposition to the proposed demolition of the public lavatory at 57 Station Street, Mullumbimby – a designated local heritage item (Item 1152) under the Byron Local Environmental Plan 2014. This small but significant piece of our town’s local heritage deserves to be preserved.
For those who don’t know, this isn’t just any old toilet block. It was designed by award-winning local architect Christine Vadasz, whose work has been widely recognized for its thoughtful design and sustainability. In fact, she’s won multiple prestigious awards, including the NSW RAIA President’s Award and has been awarded a Life Fellowship by the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA), among many others. This structure isn’t just about function – it’s a piece of architectural history that deserves to be protected.
Under the Byron Local Environmental Plan 2014, our town’s heritage is supposed to be protected. The plan specifically states that the aim is to ‘protect the cultural heritage of Byron, including the conservation of built heritage’ and that heritage items should be ‘conserved, including associated fabric, settings, and views.’
The Byron Shire Development Control Plan 2014 even states that new developments should be sympathetic to heritage buildings, not overshadow them or erase them completely. New development must be located so as to not overshadow, nor impede existing views of the heritage item and must not visually dominate, compete with, or be incompatible with the form of the heritage item. Development in all areas must remain single storey (apart from land zoned B2 in Bangalow Heritage Conservation Area) in height to maintain the visual character and unity of the streetscape.
So why is this building suddenly at risk of being torn down? Do we really need this over-development at the cost of our town’s unique character?
It is clear that Byron Shire Councillors are ignoring their own heritage planning policies by allowing this demolition to proceed. Their failure to uphold the Byron Local Environmental Plan 2014 and the Byron Shire Development Control Plan 2014 raises serious concerns about their commitment to preserving our town’s heritage.
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