Residents are standing firm against plans by developer Callum Sked, who is proposing 25 tightly packed homes at 30 Chinbible Street, Mullumbimby, near the town’s showground and on low lying flood-prone land.
With accusations by Sked that Council failed to determine the DA(s) within the statutory timeframe, he has taken the matter to court.
Last Thursday saw conciliation onsite between Sked and Council, along with their lawyers, which is the first requirement of court proceedings.
Resident Kate Walsh told The Echo there were close to 70 people at Friday’s conciliation. And while no councillors were present, former Cr Duncan Dey did attend.
In 2019, Sked proposed a similar, albeit smaller, high density DA on unstable, slip-prone land in Ocean Shores, and faced stiff opposition from residents. Despite taking Council to court over a ‘deemed refusal’ and winning, Sked has yet to develop anything on that site.
List of objections
A resident has engaged retired Council planning director, Ray Darney, to outline the objections. They include excessive bulk and scale, inadequate drainage solutions, a lack of open space and inadequate flood evacuation access.
Mr Darney told The Echo, ‘The Commissioner of the Land and Environment Court, Peter Walsh, met residents and heard from speakers who had concerns regarding flooding, the intensity of the development and that a softer, greener approach would be a better outcome for the site’.
Masterplan
The proposal also does not appear to accord with the town’s Masterplan, which states, ‘Housing will need to creatively seek opportunities for diversity to be delivered, but this will need to be balanced with the fine-grain, human-scale streetscapes that give Mullum some of its country town feel’.
Mr Darney wrote in his objection, ‘The style of development proposed is completely at odds with the neighbouring housing estates, and particularly the courts concept… It is acknowledged that housing is imperative, and that dwelling density needs to increase, but this needs to be done in a sensitive and compatible way.’
Poor example for future growth
‘The cookie-cutter design for 25 parallel houses is at odds with the neighbourhood. If this is the new vogue of housing required for Mullumbimby, it sets a poor example of style for the future growth of housing’.
Mr Darney asked Council to reject the DA when it was exhibited last year, and said the applicant needs to redesign the proposal, among other things, to ensure ‘there is no fill on the site to mitigate future flooding and stormwater run-off, and to ensure that the internal road width for the proposed 25 houses is wide enough for vehicle parking and wide enough for emergency exit during a flood event’.
Resident Kate Walsh added, ‘If there is even a one inch increase in flood-waters owing to this development, dozens of previously flood-free homes in west Mullumbimby will be inundated’.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
