Byron Shire Council has sought to ensure that at least 10 per cent of the housing in a new suburb proposed for the Shire’s north will be affordable, and remain so into the future.
In a move which received surprisingly little fanfare, the planning proposal for ‘Gulgan Village’ – a new suburb for up to 1,400 people – came before last week’s Council meeting.
Located on a 39-hectare greenfield site adjacent to Gulgan Rd and Bashforths Lane, the proposed suburb would be home to between 400 and 550 dwellings, with a mix of lots sizes, housing styles and ownership arrangements.
Higher density
The surburb will be of a higher density than Byron’s other suburbs, featuring a floor space ratio of 0.9:1 and a maximum height limit of 11.5 metres – 2.5 metres higher than the limit for the vast majority of the Shire.
Private developer, Gulgan Road Property Pty Ltd, has submitted a draft planning proposal in relation to the development – this is essentially an application to rezone the land from rural to residential, thus paving the way for the development to take place.
The planning proposal came before Council last week for preliminary approval ahead of a further determination by the NSW government.
Councillors indicated that they supported the proposal, but that a number of amendments would be required before the green-light was given.
Chief among them was a requirement that the developer designate at least 10 per cent of housing on the site as affordable in perpetuity.
Arakwal housing
The developer has already promised that five per cent of the housing stock will be given to the Bundjalung of Byron Bay (Arakwal) Aboriginal Corporation.
The amendment is an attempt by Council to ensure that a minimum affordable housing component be included in the plan, after the developer stopped short of making any firm commitments in this regard, instead indicating that the amount should be determined by an ‘affordable housing expert’.
While an independent expert will still make the final determination on affordable housing, Council’s amendment guarantees a baseline amount which cannot be eroded.
Amendments
Should Gulgan Road Property Pty Ltd agree to this and the other amendments made by Council last week, the proposal will then go to the NSW government for a Gateway Determination.
Only once this has been provided can the developer proceed to submit a formal, detailed development application (DA).
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