Concerns are being raised that the community could be sidelined in decisions about the future of the old Mullumbimby Hospital site, as Byron Shire Council (BSC) and Homes NSW negotiate the potential transfer of the land back to the state government.
At this week’s Council meeting, Greens councillor Elia Hauge will ask what opportunities there will be for community engagement on detailed proposals for the site, and whether there will be community representation on any assessment panel.
Cr Hauge says the community has played a major role in shaping the future vision for the site since the hospital closed in 2016.
‘Public land should serve the public vision,’ Cr Hauge said.
The Question With Notice comes as Council continues negotiations with Homes NSW over the possible sale of the site back to the state government, after councillors voted to support public, social, affordable, and Aboriginal housing on the land.
As recently reported, there are significant concerns from some residents and housing advocates about the draft Development Control Plan (DCP) for the site, which is currently on public exhibition until 27 May.
Real affordable housing guarantee
The document refers to 20 per cent affordable housing across the proposed 250-plus lot development, but some community members have questioned whether this is enough and whether there are sufficient guarantees that the housing would remain as affordable housing in perpetuity.
The old hospital site has been the focus of community debate for years. Following the hospital’s closure, the former NSW government proposed selling the land to private developers, prompting a campaign to keep the site in public ownership. Council later acquired the land for $1.
A community Project Reference Group and Enquiry by Design process later helped develop a vision for the site that included affordable housing for older people, low income households, and vulnerable residents.
Cr Hauge is now proposing a community assessment panel involving representatives from the Mullumbimby Hospital Action Group (MHAG), housing advocates, and local residents to help assess future proposals for the site.
In a written response included in the meeting agenda, Council’s Acting Director Sustainable Environment and Economy said the project had already involved ‘multiple stages of community and stakeholder engagement’, including workshops, stakeholder sessions, public exhibitions, and formal submissions.
The director said future proposals would still be subject to the relevant planning and assessment processes, but noted that the planning framework does not generally provide for ‘ongoing community governance or participatory assessment mechanisms’.
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