Council’s subdivision plans for its Mullumbimby HQ land have become a little clearer, with staff telling The Echo that one parcel of land, ‘relates only to the access road and is unrelated to the creation of a carpark’.
The Echo sought clarity on development application (DA) 10.2025.180.1, which proposes to split the land into two smaller portions at the southern end of 70 Station Street, Mullumbimby.
While one lot is ‘to create a lot which can be purchased by the Mullumbimby Community Pre-school’, details around why the second lot needs to be subdivided only stated it was ‘to create a lot that can be leased to Transport Asset Holdings Entity of NSW (TAHE) to formalise their access to the adjoining rail land’.
On page 42 of the Social Impacts Assessment for the 57 Station St carpark/units (see page 4), it shows ‘Proposed traffic redirection away from Burringbar Street’. which indicates a new road.
Google Maps also now shows this as an existing road, as depicted.
The Echo asked Council staff ‘Will there be any report to Council on this road?’ They replied, ‘The DA will go to Council, most likely in September’.
Council staff say within the DA they are the consent authority for their own DA.
They say, ‘By maintaining existing land uses, improving land tenure certainty, and avoiding significant environmental impacts, the proposal is considered to be in the public interest and is suitable for approval by the consent authority’.
The Mullumbimby Residents Association (MRA) say in their response that, ‘While not opposing the development in principle, we raise significant concerns about transparency, community consultation, alternative tenure arrangements, and compliance with legal requirements and best practices’.
Significant concerns raised by residents
MRA say, ‘This submission addresses critical gaps in the application documentation, particularly regarding future land use intentions, flood risk assessment, contamination management, and most importantly, the lack of consideration for alternative tenure arrangements that would retain community ownership of this valuable asset’.
Given the land represents the disposal of a community asset, MRA say, ‘The application fails to provide a comprehensive consideration of the public interest as required under NSW legislation and best practice guidelines’.
‘No report has been located regarding Council’s intention for sale of the pre-school site or lease arrangements.
‘These financial decisions are not identified in Council’s current Delivery Program, Operational Plan, Budget, or Long Term Financial Management Plan’.
MRA convenor, Dale Emerson, writes, ‘NSW Treasury guidelines recommend comprehensive financial modelling for all asset disposal decisions, including consideration of alternative tenure arrangements’.
He also asks, ‘How has this development application been assessed within the framework of Byron Shire Council’s Community Participation Plan 2019?’
Emerson also says there is inadequate flood risk analysis, ‘particularly regarding impacts from the 2022 flood event on the subject site.’
‘As both applicant and consent authority, Council has a heightened responsibility to demonstrate best practice in planning, community engagement, and asset management.
‘This application currently falls short of these expectations,’ Emerson writes.
‘The MRA calls for Council to show leadership by reconsidering the long-term lease option, enhancing community consultation processes, addressing all technical and legal deficiencies, and demonstrating transparent and accountable governance’.
DA 10.2025.180.1 closed for public submissions last week.
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