Byron Council has voted to give the community a greater role in shaping the future of the former Mullumbimby Hospital site, despite concerns from some councillors that additional consultation could further delay the delivery of desperately needed housing.
The council voted 5-4 at its June meeting to investigate options for involving community representatives in the assessment of future proposals for the 4.4-hectare site, which is currently the subject of negotiations with Homes NSW.
The amended motion stopped short of immediately creating a Community Assessment Panel, instead requesting a report on a range of engagement options, including a standalone advisory panel or a process allowing community representatives to work alongside councillors and staff in evaluating future proposals.
Greens councillor Elia Hauge, who brought the motion, said the former hospital site occupied a unique place in Mullumbimby’s history.
‘This is not a normal site,’ Cr Hauge said.
‘This site was gifted to the community for a hospital 100 or so years ago, and then retained as a hospital with community management, and then of course purchased by Council for $1.’
She said the proposal was aimed at ensuring the community remained involved in decisions about housing mix, affordability, and the overall vision for the site.
‘It’s not about over-consulting, it’s about meaningfully consulting,’ she said.
The Mullumbimby Residents Association (MRA) also backed the proposal during public access. Spokesperson Dale Emerson said the community had fought to keep the land in public ownership after the hospital closed and argued that conventional planning processes were inadequate.
‘What is needed here is front-end community input before the proposal is locked in, not after,’ he said.
But several councillors warned against adding another layer of process to a project that has already been years in the making.
Independent councillor Michael Lyon said the site had already been the subject of extensive consultation and questioned the need for additional mechanisms.
‘I don’t support putting in place another type of mechanism for community engagement on this,’ Cr Lyon said.
Deputy Mayor Jack Dods (Independent) said the focus should remain on getting housing built.
‘That site is still just sitting there getting mown, and nothing has happened,’ he said.
‘We know what needs to happen here. Let’s get it done.’
The final resolution also requests that the project charter being developed with Homes NSW be reported back to Council and calls for a site-specific design excellence panel to provide advice on the future built form of the site.
Meanwhile, major questions remain unresolved about both the future housing mix in the project, and how any public or social housing would be funded.
While many community members have advocated for large amounts of social and public housing, councillors have acknowledged the financial challenges of delivering those outcomes.
Options canvassed publicly include selling part of the site to reduce Council’s debt, partnering with Homes NSW to secure government funding, or involving community housing providers or private developers in parts of the project.
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