Developer seeks to pave the way for $37 million community

An application for road upgrades foreshadows plans for an “intentional community”.

A development application proposing early works, related to a planned "intentional community" in the Mount Burrell and Kunghur area, has been lodged with Tweed Shire Council. Shown in red is a proposed network of internal roads.

A development application that relates to a future proposal for an “intentional community” in the Tweed Valley has been lodged with Tweed Shire Council.

Controversial celebrity chef Pete Evans, who last year suggested links between COVID-19 and conspiracy theories and was fined $25,000 for promoting a “BioCharger” device which he claimed could treat COVID-19, has been spruiking plans for the Nightcap on Minjungbul community.

The planned development has also been known as Nightcap Village.

Mr Evans has more recently been sharing content about wellness and cooking retreats under the name “Evolve Sanctuary”, sharing scant details but spruiking it with imagery of the same mountainous locale.

Pete Evans in a YouTube video promoting the proposed Nightcap on Minjungbul community.

The DA now before the council is a concept development application seeking approval for Stage 1 works, including the upgrade of an existing private road and associated earthworks, vegetation removal and site construction office and storage area has been lodged with the council.

A similar application was refused by the council last year.

If approved, this would be the first step toward a proposed rural land sharing community on Kyogle Rd in the vicinity of Mount Burrell and Kunghur.

It is understood the proposed community would cater to almost 400 dwellings.

Ultimately the applicant, NCV Enterprises, will seek approval for about $37 million worth of capital works, including an internal road network and solar panels with battery storage.

A development application proposing early works, related to a planned "intentional community" in the Mount Burrell and Kunghur area, has been lodged with Tweed Shire Council. This image indicates the site where Stage 1 works to upgrade a road access are proposed.

NCV Enterprises bought one of the properties associated with the Nightcap on Minjungbul from Wollumbin Horizons Pty Ltd – the proponent of the failed Bhula Bhula community – for $2 million last year.

In documents prepared for the applicant, town planner Daniel Mulherin of Planet Consulting said the application had been submitted with the council on three prior occasions.

He said the council provided the applicant with preliminary lodgement advice on each occasion.

A development application proposing early works, related to a planned "intentional community" in the Mount Burrell and Kunghur area, has been lodged with Tweed Shire Council.

“Council’s return advice to the most recent application rejection in … 2020 identified the absence of owners’ consent for works within the Kyogle Road Reserve, being council-owned land, for intersection upgrades,” he said.

Mr Mulherin said the concept and stage 1 DA now before the council would not “result in any physical works external of land owned by the applicant”.

A development application proposing early works, related to a planned "intentional community" in the Mount Burrell and Kunghur area, has been lodged with Tweed Shire Council. Shown in orange is an area proposed for a construction office and storage area.

“The proposal simply sets out the framework for future DAs,” he said.

He said a “holistic infrastructure co-ordination and delivery plan” is included in the applicant’s Stage 2 proposal.

Included with the DA is a draft shareholder agreement which states the aim of the proposal is to create “interconnected communities of like-minded individuals where knowledge and resources are shared”.

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