The community is calling on Byron Shire councillors, and the state and federal government to step up and deliver on public, social, and genuinely affordable housing at the former Mullumbimby Hospital site.
They are holding a public forum on Monday, 23 February at the Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club auditorium from 6pm to discuss the future of the site.
‘It’s a perfect location,’ Caroline Bass, member of the Mullumbimby Hospital Action Group (MHAG) told The Echo, highlighting that it is flood free, near the local high school, playing fields, swimming pool and within walking distance of the town centre.
‘I was part of the project reference group (PRG) which was followed by the Enquiry by Design Workshop which came up with the development proposal for the site which was very much a village for social, affordable, and seniors’ housing. That is public housing provided by the state government with rents that accord with people’s incomes.’
The PRG came up with three designs, a low, medium and high density design for the site that saw older people and those with mobility issues located at the bottom of the site where it is flatter, families in the middle, and flats further up where you can build into the hill without it looking too ugly, with a mix of commercial, including medical and community spaces as part of the development. This also ties into the Tallowood Estate as the commercial elements of that estate were never developed.
Council responded by raising the height limits on the site and surrounding streets from 9m to 11.5m.
‘MHAG have been working on this project long before any of the current councillors were on Council and we canvassed the community on what they wanted for this site over and over again,’ said Ms Bass.
‘Everybody said, housing, housing, housing, and it needs to be housing people like key workers, people on social security, disability pensions and aged care pensions can afford.’
As a fallback there was a proposal to sell off part of the land to cover the costs of remediation and build social and affordable housing on the site.
‘We always said if the worst came to the worst, we could do that. It’s not ideal, it would be much better if it was done by the NSW government, and it was all social housing.’
Speaking to The Echo Janelle Saffin MP Lismore, Minister for Recovery, and Minister for the North Coast, said, ‘Of course I support such a project and have stated this publicly. The Mullumbimby Hospital site is ideally situated to provide much needed housing across our region. I am supporting the efforts of Byron Shire Council and the NSW government agencies who are in discussions.’
Ballina MP Tamara Smith also supports the project saying, ‘the community have had a strong vision for the Mullumbimby Hospital site.
‘It would be great to work with all levels of government to deliver something truly wonderful for Mullumbimby with affordable and social housing.
‘The Australian Greens secured an extra $1 billion for the HAFF scheme, but federally and regional NSW has seen very little of that fund returned in terms of affordable housing projects. The state has contributed significantly towards the project. I think this is a great opportunity for the federal government to work with us to deliver this project,’ she said.
Federal MP for Richmond Justine Elliot told The Echo that, ‘I strongly support more housing across the North Coast and I understand that Byron Shire Council are working with the NSW government on the future of the Mullumbimby Hospital site.’
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. 
