Like many Byron residents, I welcome the Council’s rejection of the development proposal for 8 Marvell St.
We’ve seen enough ugly developments in Byron lately that claim ‘affordable housing’ when we all know every unit starts at $5m.
But, developers don’t stop there. Note the lush vegetation in all artist’s impressions. And what do we get? Concrete and brick! In my opinion ‘Bonobo by Rae’s’ next to Palace Cinema on Jonson St, for example, looks like a 1960s housing commission (was that brick colour an accident or what?), and all that heavy brick and concrete is way out of place in Byron Bay. And no amount of greenery can disguise that.
The development application for 8 Marvell St is neither aesthetically pleasing to me, nor in keeping with community expectations for Byron Bay. At the end of the day it’s just another bland development for rich people in Byron CBD.
No doubt the ‘meat market’ of the Land & Environment Court will rule in favour of the developers, but I’m pleased that it has been put on record that the people of Byron and Byron Shire Council who represent us, are not happy about yet another development like this in otherwise beautiful Byron Bay.
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. 
