Residents in Browning Street and Ruskin Lane are calling for support to oppose a major development on Jonson Street and Ruskin Lane facing the new Byron bypass roundabout at the corner of Jonson and Browning Streets.
‘The DA (development application) forces 28 apartments, retail and food and beverage outlets and a 125 car space, two level underground car park onto three ordinary sized house blocks. It seeks a 9.9 metre 10 per cent height concession and at least a 9.6 per cent extra concession above the LEP (local environment plan) for floor space ratio,’ said the Browning Street Residents Group (BSRG) in a recent press release.
‘The new DA is basically the same as the 2017 one which was unceremoniously and comprehensively thrown out by the Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP) in November 2018’.
The DA is currently on exhibition until January 31 according to Byron Shire Council’s website. The BSRG believe the exhibition period has been timed for when many locals who would oppose the development will be away and unable to respond.
Concerns have also been raised about the impact on Ruskin Lane with the BSRG estimating that there will be over 1,000 car and truck movements per day. They claim that it will create a dangerous situation for pedestrians due to limited site lines for pedestrians and vehicles and will have a detrimental impact on residents.
‘The developer blames the Council for forcing the use of Ruskin Lane onto him for access instead of Jonson Street which he was originally in favour of,’ say the BSRG in their press release.
‘The DA’s own documentation even acknowledges this problem and proposes a convex mirror for the pedestrians (not the drivers) to use so they won’t be knocked over. How is that for reversing the duty of care? On that point alone the use of Ruskin Lane should be ruled out.
‘We seek the Community’s support for Council to make any final approval conform with the LEP, place the vehicle access onto Jonson Street where there is already a Council approved two lane vehicle access into the Butter Factory that is closer to the new roundabout than the DA’s access would be.
‘Then, Ruskin Lane can be left as a buffer between us and an intensive development,’ stated the BSRG.
For more information and updates see the Hands off Ruskin Lane Facebook group
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