Skip to main content

The Byron Shire Echo Issue 40.07 – July 23, 2025

Page 1

SPOT THE MISTAKE AND GET A FREE ECHO NEXT WEEK The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 40 #07 • July 23, 2025 • www.echo.net.au

The big Bush bash in Bruns

What’s a collective noun for a group of Kate Bush fans? A tragedy of Kates met at Torakina Beach in Brunswick Heads on Sunday to celebrate Kate Bush’s upcoming 66th birthday.

‘The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever’, is a global event where participants perform the iconic dance moves from the famous video. In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK singles chart for four weeks with her debut single

‘Wuthering Heights’, becoming the first female artist to achieve a UK number one with a fully self-written song. This tragedy was led by Kelly O’Meara and photographed by Jeff ‘Limping Up That Hill’ Dawson.

Labor govt proposes reduced consultation on large housing developments Paul Bibby

T

he NSW Labor government is planning to halve the amount of time local communities are given to express their views on large housing developments in their towns and suburbs. In a move which highlights the inherent tension between housing demand and environmental conservation, the government is proposing to reduce the minimum public exhibition period from 28 to 14 days for state significant development applications that relate to residential development. It is part of a broader suite of changes to the Community

Participation Plan (CPP), the government policy that sets out the mandatory requirements on planning matters, including consultation timeframes and community participation objectives.

ƐëƐĕ ƆĶīŕĶǕĈëŕƐ developments State significant developments are major projects that are deemed to have significant economic, environmental, or social impacts that extend beyond the local community. They also typically exceed certain thresholds in terms of size and capital investment. The power to approve or refuse

Calls for SAE More apartments closure to be proposed for reconsidered ▶ p4 Mullum ▶ p7

these developments is taken out of the hands of local councils and given to regional planning panels. Locally, the panel that oversees such decisions is the Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP), which recently approved a controversial large greenfield DA at 53 McAuleys Lane, Myocum. The panel will also decide on a large proposal in Mullumbimby’s CBD for affordable housing units and commercial space over a carpark, which is being proposed by government agency Landcom and Council. Under the Government’s proposed changes, the time given to the community to comment on these large developments will be

When your best frenemy is America ▶ p8

halved in cases where they relate to residential development. It is part of the government’s attempt to address the state’s housing crisis by streamlining the development application process. NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully said the changes aligned with recent amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and aim to balance community feedback with the need for faster housing delivery. ‘This is another step forward in our plan to tackle the housing and planning challenge head-on,’ Mr Scully said. ‘We’re removing the barriers

Sunbeams from cucumbers ▶ p13

that slow down good development and focusing on what matters, building more homes’. ‘With these changes, we’re making it clear that NSW is serious about delivering more affordable homes and supporting councils to make practical, timely planning decisions.’

Ɛſşŕī şćŇĕĈƐĶşŕƆ But community groups and campaigners across the state have voiced strong objections to the reduced consultation time, arguing that it limits the community’s ability to collectively respond to inappropriate development. ▶ Continued on page 3

Wetlands key to climate resilience ▶ p14

Make your space beautiful ▶ p22

MEMBERS NIGHTS! MONDAY = Steak Night TUESDAY = Parmi Night THURSDAY = Bangers Night SATURDAY = Pizza Night SUNDAY = Roast Dinner Night SQUIDDLEYS KIDS ROOM

Open 7 nights from 5.30pm

5

$

σο

BISTRO

open 7 days for LUNCH & DINNER Jonson Street, Byron Bay • 02 6685 6878 • www.byronbayservicesclub.com.au


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
The Byron Shire Echo Issue 40.07 – July 23, 2025 by Echo Publications - Issuu