‘Badly needed’: Byron Shire plans up to 150 affordable homes on former Mullumbimby hospital site
Byron Shire Council is pushing forward with plans to build up to 150 affordable homes on a former hospital site in the midst of a national housing crisis. Here’s what’s happening.
Byron Shire
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Byron Shire Council is pushing forward with plans to build up to 150 affordable homes on the former Mullumbimby hospital site in the midst of a national housing crisis.
Now, plans for the Azalea St site, including for community facilities, have reached public exhibition and Mayor Michael Lyon is excited for the potential.
Mid-last year, the annual NSW Street Count revealed Byron Shire had more rough sleepers than the City of Sydney
Cr Lyon said the council had a “great opportunity” to ease housing strain in the shire, which is popular among Australian and international visitors – and an enviable spot to live.
“The project is very badly needed in terms of the need for housing supply in the Byron Shire – and for affordable housing supply … ,” he said.
“Because it’s our site we don’t need to add a profit on it, so there’s that.”
The state government sold the land to the council for just $1 in 2017, however, the council has had to tackle the remediation of asbestos-riddled old buildings on the site.
“We’ve had to cover the remediation costs from the asbestos … it’s taken a lot of time (to remove),” Cr Lyon said.
The land deemed “flood-free” by the council is about 15 minutes walk from Mullumbimby town centre and is close to schools and other crucial services.
To increase yield – and affordability – the council wants to build above the nine metre height limit in the area, up to 11.5m.
The council is proposing changes to the Byron Local Environmental Plan, including a height increase.
“By maximising the residential housing we put on that site, that would naturally provide those (affordable) outcomes,” Cr Lyon said.
The mayor said the council has not ruled out much-needed social housing.
“We’ll do the work to provide housing on the site, but if the state or federal government want to come in and provide funding to enable the social housing then we will entertain that,” Cr Lyon said.
He warned work would be a while away and the project would be subject to the usual development approvals and processes.
“I would like to be shovel-ready within 12-18 months … I’m really enthusiastic about it as a project and I think it’s a great bit of business that we’ve done,” he said.
“Ultimately, what we will end up with is a really good community asset.”
Check out the council’s website for more information, or to have your say.
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