The construction of government social housing has been drastically reduced by 50 per cent in recent years.
The state government has amended the Housing SEPP over time, outsourcing to developers the role of building social and/or low-cost housing instead of the government continuing its responsibility for this. The changes include the relatively new co-living options, hence the 50-unit proposal in a heritage area of Mullumbimby.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first highly dense multiple dwelling that’s been proposed or built in Byron Shire in recent years. Look at the boarding house/units in Sunrise Beach, built under the previous Affordable Rental Housing SEPP 2009, with a very similar design to the Stuart Street proposal.
Since 2015, this Sunrise development has grown to 22 units/rooms. A similar complex was approved for Bayside Bruns, but hasn’t been built yet.
In Sunrise, Council approved a change of use from ‘boarding house’ to ‘in-fill affordable dwellings’, which meant that an onsite manager’s residence was no longer required.
All the units were to be used for permanent affordable rental housing.
Note there is no requirement for affordable housing in the co-living SEPP. Sunrise rooms, of a similar size (and fixtures) to The Nest proposal, were rented at $450-$500 pw in 2020. Recent online estimates are up to $960 pw. Is this affordable?
People like Jimmy Blackhall (Echo, 4/2/26) should look at past consequences of similar developments before lavishing praise on The Nest as a solution to the housing crisis. Its DA states that these tiny rectangular rooms (18-22m2 approx.) are designed for ‘short- to medium-term accommodation’. Perfect for the travellers and transients that throng through this Shire. The SEPP refers to ‘off-campus student accommodation’ as an example of co-living.
The SEPP co-living regulations state that ‘each private room will be used by no more than two occupants’. Similarly, the Sunrise units were designed for a maximum of two people. However, whole families have lived in them, along with barking dogs.
I refer Nest supporters to the letter by a previous tenant at Sunrise, Tracey Stride (Echo, 26/2/20). Tracy supported this type of development until she lived there and discovered it to contain noisy party homes for three to four backpackers crammed into tiny spaces. She called it a ‘future slum’.
Yes, it’s wise to look at the big picture and listen to the voices of experience. 50 units on three levels will set a new precedent for a higher density of living in the Shire.
We want sustainable housing in Byron Shire that gives people dignity and a quality of life where they’ll want to live for the long term. Not cramped rooms that deny peace and privacy, with a high turnover.
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. 
