THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 29 #51 Wednesday, June 3, 2015
WO WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY - PAGE18
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Online in netdaily Mungo: Health & Need a feed? All your trade Bargains Mt Warning Joe’s endless Healing Places that will and professionals abound in the ‘fouled by Bogans’ deficit – p10 – p16, 17 feed you – p23 needs – p30–34 Classies – p35–38 echo.net.au/mt-warning-bogans
Arts and Industry treasures Lennox Head
about to boom Eighty-hectare mixed urban development near CBD set to start this month Hans Lovejoy
Lakota enjoyed the new Peddle & Hawk market on Saturday at the Byron Arts and Industry Estate, and was happy to show off mum Indigo’s tiny terrariums. The market is planned for the last Saturday of every month, and those wanting to get involved can find out more at www.kulchajam.org. Photo Eve Jeffery
Beach rally and concert planned for June 7 over Belongil rock wall plans An event on Sunday June 7 is planned by two community organisations, who have joined forces opposing Council’s plans to erect a 105-metre rock wall on Belongil Beach. The final sign-off for the interim beach access stabilisation (IBAS) works was recently voted on by the five councillors who control Council’s chamber: Wanchap, Woods, Hunter, Ibrahim and Cubis. Outvoted, mayor Simon Richardson, along with Crs Dey, Spooner
and Cameron have been unsuccessful in maintaining a nearly 30-year planned-retreat policy.
Main Beach, Sunday Organised by the Byron Residents’ Group and Positive Change for Marine Life, the rally and community event is aimed at ‘saving our famous beaches from being replaced with rock walls or sucked up and moved to Belongil.’ The rally will begin at 1pm on
Sunday June 7 on Main Beach at the Wreck side of the carpark, and will walk along the beach to Belongil. And from 3 till 8.30pm, there will be music, film, speakers and food at the Byron Community Centre. Cate Coorey said, ‘These are our beaches and our rates. Since we were not invited to comment or provide input to this proposal, we are going to show the members of this Council that the people of Byron will not tolerate our beaches being ruined.’
Move over, West Byron; a 500-home development is about to begin down the road in Lennox Head. And it’s also just one of many residential/commerical projects in Ballina Shire that are either being built or are in the planning stages. Located just 2km from Lennox’s CBD, Pacific Pines will be commencing its first stage this month, with 51 homesites planned. And it appears it will be aimed entirely at the wealthy, with blocks ranging from 600 to 900 square metres. Ballina mayor David Wright told The Echo that while there are no planning requirements to stop it being populated by lower-end project homes, he suggested that the expected high land price would encourage higher-spec homes. ‘This is a 20-year-old plan,’ he said, ‘and the state government gave approval many years ago. I understand the previous owners lost a lot of money and they are now the fourth owners… people’s fingers have been burnt on this almost from the start.’ The current owners are Noosabased developers Clarence Property, and within their concept plan they propose ‘predominantly residential lots, with a retirement site, retail precinct and neighbourhood centre/community facilities.’ Extensive sportsfields are also
included within stage 1B, which Cr Wright says has been promised for ten years. Despite Cr Wright saying it will be a ‘great asset for Lennox’, he concedes that Council are yet to see how the commercial component will be developed. And like West Byron, there is concern over traffic management. Ballina councillor Jeff Johnson told The Echo Ballina Council approved the traffic management plan despite the road infrastructure yet to be approved. ‘Most traffic will be diverted through Montwood Drive, which is a dangerous road as it is,’ he said. Mayor Wright did say a ring road will eventually be built, however, which could mean shorter travel times to Ballina. As for environmental outcomes, Cr Johnson says, ‘It could be a lot a worse; there are rainforest plantings and a wildlife corridor planned.’ ‘It’s actually a great improvement on what’s there. Currently it’s degraded cattle property.’ As for other developments throughout Ballina Shire, Cr Johnson says over 1,000 blocks have been approved. ‘So there’s no land shortage for the building trades.’ ‘[But] there’s a worry that Lennox will more than double in the next 10 to 20 years,’ he said. ‘There’s not enough data on social and traffic impacts on how the town will cope.’