Reports from sub-committees/working groups

Tweed Valley Weekly Locals Supporting Locals Councillor responds to Rural Land Strategy concerns

By Jonathon Howard DEBATE AROUND secondary detached dwellings on all rural properties has prompted a response from Tweed Shire Councillor James Owen, who says Council “acknowledges and is working on a range of options to address the housing challenges gripping the Tweed”.

But Cr Owen has stopped short of supporting a sweeping development policy that would allow all rural lots a secondary detached dwelling, highlighting that rural land is for rural purposes.

Cr Owen was addressing recent comments made online by Anthony Pike, who posted that the “housing crisis is not going away soon”.

“The Tweed Shire Councillors refused to accept the petition Tweed Rural Alliance prepared as it did not have addresses. Any excuse to keep the status quo I expect,” Mr Pike’s post reads.

“So do we want 4,400 farms in the Tweed to be allowed to have a second dwelling to increase [the] pool of aff ordable rentals? All of our surrounding councils allow this. If you are concerned about the housing crisis and think this makes sense, complete the new petition for Tweed Council now.”

Cr Owen said “rural land is not simply a ‘holding land use’ awaiting further development”.

“It is rural land for rural purposes, its protection now strongly supported by the State Government,” he said.

“Council has supported a range of initiatives to diversify housing in the rural areas, and believes that a strategic, balanced approach to all of this is the only way to address these, and the many other issues confronting rural Tweed.”

The message comes after some community concern over the development of the Tweed Rural Land Strategy, which sets out the policy additional dwellings on rural properties.

While the strategy does allow for some large rural land parcels to construct secondary detached dwellings, several residents are calling for all rural land to be allowed secondary detached dwellings for a range of issues including generational farming.

“Housing is a complex issue, where a onesize-fi ts all approach won’t work,” Cr Owen said.

“Housing aff ordability and increasing the diversity of housing in rural areas are not the same thing.

“Council has supported a greater diversity of housing in rural Tweed, with some 22 actions in the Rural Land Strategy directed at this, including opportunities for seniors housing and expansion of some of Tweed’s rural villages.”

Cr Owen said housing aff ordability is “not an issue simply solved by more houses in rural Tweed”.

“The solution is more about the right type of housing in the right location, with the provision of social housing being primarily the responsibility of the NSW State Government,” he said.

“Those with the greatest need are often the most disadvantaged, immobile, and have the greatest need for services most easily accessed in urban areas where transport and distance are less of an issue, rather than randomly scattered housing throughout our agricultural and rural land.

“I support eff orts for Council to work more closely with the government to come up with locally relevant solutions; which might include construction of more developments like the NSW Government funded $13 million Boyd Street social housing development which commenced recently.”

Cr Owen said as a result of actions in the Rural Land Strategy, Council has prioritised the preparation of a Growth Management and Housing Strategy, which will “give us a better picture of the housing needs of the Tweed, and opportunities throughout the Shire”.

“This strategic approach is the most appropriate way to investigate options for additional rural housing. The approach that was proposed by another councillor would have been ‘knocked’ back by the NSW Department of Planning who recommended that Council take a strategic and precautionary approach,” he said.

Cr James Owen says that rural land should be for rural purposes

Councillors to vote on Land Committee

By Jonathon Howard TWEED SHIRE Councillors will discuss and vote on whether to progress with a Rural Land Industry Advisory Committee, which could help establish a useful platform for sharing ideas and solutions to current issues.

Councillors resolved to create the Rural Land Industry Advisory Committee in December 2020, with a ten-member committee, including fi ve members that are engaged in rural activities and fi ve members with special qualifi cations such as planning or agronomy, two councillors, and one council offi cer.

“The criteria for selection of committee members would need to be further considered once the scope and aims of the committee were further determined,” a Council report reads.

The report further highlighted the important role of agriculture in the Tweed Shire.

“A combination of existing broad acre agriculture and the emergence of new farms and farming models suggests a bright future for agriculture and food production in the Tweed,” the report read.

“An agriculture-focused advisory committee consisting of farmers and industry representatives could provide a useful platform for the sharing of ideas and be well positioned to workshop solutions to current issues.

“The committee would also provide a mechanism to bring farmers and the broader industry together to pursue agricultural growth opportunities in a collaborative manner.

“Issues for consideration may include: opportunities for regenerative agriculture trials; improving biodiversity; improved land and water management and valueadding for farm viability.”