THE BYRON SHIRE
Vintage
Volume 29 #50 Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Retro
www.echo.net.au
pages 16 & 17
Phone 02 6684 1777 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
WHERE HARD NEWS MELDS WITH SQUISHY NEWS
CAB AUDIT
Chaos and House & New Mad Max shenanigans in garden ideas flick reviewed the chambers – p7 – p14, 15 – p24
Resort sparks more resident opposition Plans by the Elements of Byron resort to adjust its boundary have caused a stir with the Byron Residents’ Group and environmentalist Dailan Pugh, who claims the proposal ‘makes a mockery of Council’s subdivision rules.’ The developers at the old Becton site at Belongil recently riled Sunrise residents and business owners with plans to run a restored diesel train along the tracks. Part of Mr Pugh’s submission reads, ‘This DA is an outrageous proposal as it is contrary to both the 1988 and 2014 local environment plans (LEPs). The pretence that this will not result in the creation of any additional lots is a gross misrepresentation; since 1987 the owners of this land have legally been required to amalgamate six lots into one, and there is a 1983 requirement for another four lots to be amalgamated into one lot. But resort manager Jeremy Holmes told The Echo, ‘Byron Shire Council requires that the accommodation villas be on a single lot.’ ‘So we are undertaking a boundary adjustment to “clean up” the land titles over the site, so that all of the accommodation villas are on a single lot rather than scattered across numerous different lots. ‘This boundary adjustment does not create any additional lots. It does not increase the size of the overall Elements of Byron site. It does not facilitate any additional villas, nor does it create any additional development potential whatsoever.’ More of this story is online at www.echo.net.au.
Gigs you won’t get anywhere else – p25
Online in
netdaily
15 hectares of koala habitat to be demolished for Tweed housing:
echo.net.au/kings-forest-green-light
Byron Surf Fest cancels
Buccaneers blitz Bruns
A stream of more than 1,000 paddlers left Heritage Park in Mullumbimby on Sunday morning for almost ten kilometres of fun in the 2015 Mullum2Bruns Paddle. Every type of paddleable vessel from small and large canoes and kayaks, to standup paddle boards (SUP) and dragon boats took to the water for fun and competition. M’hearty lads and lasses from the Rainbow Region Dragon Boat Club were one of many entries who dressed up. A photo gallery of the event is online at www.echo.net.au. Photo Eve Jeffery
A lack of major sponsorship and council and government red tape have been blamed for the decision to cancel this year’s Byron Bay Surf Festival (BBSF). Festival director Mike Jahn and co-founders Vanessa Thompson and James McMillan say that after four years of successful events and winning the recent Surf Culture Award from Surfing Australia, ‘the decision was neither taken lightly nor easy to come by’. The festival had become a regular part of Byron Shire’s community event calendar, and was widely known for its fun, creativity and innovative flair. Mr Jahn said, ‘Arts and culture need to be supported and encouraged rather than suppressed, as [this is what] leads to a stimulated and colourful society, which in turn creates participant citizens. Council’s general manager Ken Gainger said in a statement that continued on page 3
Bangalow rallies against Lismore traffic plans Chris Dobney
Byron mayor Simon Richardson has thrown his support behind a Bangalow Progress Association campaign to stop traffic to Lismore being diverted through the town. The group has called a meeting for June 4 to call attention to what it says is ‘the likelihood of more traffic being diverted onto Granuaille Road, Bangalow’, and to demonstrate its opposition to the decision by roads minister Duncan Gay and his agency, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS). The progress association claims that for 15 months, their requests for ministerial interven-
tion have been met with ‘no sensible response from the minister or his department’. President Tony Hart says, ‘RMS’s lack of action or even discussion with affected people is an insult to the community.’ The group says that daily commuting through Bangalow is increasing greatly, with 2011 census figures showing around 5,000 people commuting daily. Additionally, they claim B-doubles are now using the road ‘since demolition of the Binna Burra bridge removed the height limit on the road.’ Mayor Richardson added, ‘It makes no sense to build a new highway and then divert traffic
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off it and instead onto a dangerous and overused road. Surely it is better for those going to Lismore to use the new highway and utilise the wellmaintained and recently upgraded road through Alstonville to Lismore.
Residents, Council ignored ‘Council has consistently requested RMS to show commitment to the people of Bangalow and look to make Granuaille Road and beyond safer and less traffic choked. ‘Directing more cars and trucks onto this road would be a slap in the face of rational traffic continued on page 2
To the way you live, to how you think, to your finances, for future generations. Make a difference with the company that knows how. To evaluate your needs Contact us at 02 6689 1430 www.rpc.com.au The Renewable Energy Specialist