BILS Area 5
Planning Proposal
Information
A concise summary of the Planning Proposal, the site and the proponent’s vision — offering answers to any questions the community might have.
Executive Summary
The BILS Area 5, Gulgan North Planning Proposal aims to rezone 6.5 hectares of RU2 Rural land at 66 The Saddle Road for employment land use. The proposed zoning includes E3 Productivity Support, E4 General Industrial, C2 Environmental Conservation, C2 Environmental Conservation and C3 Environmental Management.
This Planning Proposal aligns with and supports Council's Business and Industrial Land Strategy, (BILS), which identifies 6.5 hectares of rural land at the Gulgan North site (Area 5) as suitable for employment land uses.
Images: below area a selection of reference images to help convey the scale, architectural language and material palette anticipated for the built form.
Vision
To achieve economic security, create purposeful jobs, support social and environmental sustainability, and foster a vibrant, resilient community that balances human needs with ecological integrity in the Byron Shire.
Aims
To create a regionally significant, sustainable employment hub that addresses commercial space shortages, fosters innovation, and creates diverse opportunities. The proposal aligns with doughnut economics principles, ensuring balanced growth, environmental stewardship, and thriving communities within the planet's ecological limits.
Opportunity
The site offers a unique chance to advance the business and light industrial sectors, promoting innovation while upholding social and environmental responsibility. This project could serve as a precedent for sustainable development practices across the Shire, integrating community and ecological values.
Location
Lot / Plan
Lot 2 in DP 1159910
Area
52.13 Hectares. The BILS development area is just 6.5ha.
Location
BILS Area 5, Gulgan North
The site is strategically located to the north of the Byron Shire with direct access to the Pacific Motorway (M1). The site is:
6 minutes by car to Brunswick Heads
9 minutes by car to Mullumbimby
16 minutes by car to Byron Bay
30 minutes by car to Ballina airport
Map: shows the location of Lot 2 DP 1159910 in red, relative to the M1 Pacific Highway, Brunswick Heads (northeast) and Mullumbimby (west). The BILS Area 5 portion of the site is highlighted in light grey.
The Site
Details
The subject site, Lot 2 DP 1159910, covers 52.13 hectares of hilly, degraded farmland and has an irregular shape. It is divided into four parts with frontages on The Saddle Road, Gulgan Road, Bashforths Lane, the Pacific Motorway, and an unnamed road that links to Tweed Street on the east. The actual BILS development area is just 6.5ha.
Considerations
Site planning considerations include: climatic conditions, vegetation canopy cover, steep slopes, eroded slopes, drainage corridors and dams, rocky outcrops, dip site, the extent of flooding, views, traffic noise, and utility services corridor.
Image (left): The BILS Area 5 site as identified in Council’s Business and Industrial Lands Strategy. Images (below): A selection of images from the BILS Area 5 site showing its current condition.
Objectives
The primary objective of this Planning Proposal is to implement the BILS Strategy. The site planning objectives include:
The Gulgan Planning Proposal aims to create a vibrant, resilient employment precinct in Byron Shire, balancing economic growth with social and environmental sustainability. This strategic development will contribute to the region's economic and social fabric, ensuring long-term benefits for the community.
Protecting site flora and fauna of environmental significance.
Embedding resilience, achieving economic security, and creating purposeful jobs.
Integrating employment land within the rural landscape of the Gulgan Road/The Saddle Road locality.
Providing adequate public utilities for employment land purposes.
Ensuring future site access conforms with the Byron Shire network hierarchy.
Managing stormwater to avoid adverse impacts and maintain existing drainage patterns.
Reviewing potential site planning hazards to ensure safe future development.
Preserving rural amenity and agricultural potential of surrounding land.
Working synergistically with early European heritage and local Aboriginal communities to foster economic and cultural enhancement for First Nations Peoples.
Images: a selection of reference images to help convey the scale, architectural language and material palette anticipated for the built form.
Map: shows the BILS Area 5 Planning Proposal concept.
Planning Proposal Details
In general terms, the implementation of this Planning Proposal will result in part of the subject land being rezoned to provide the provisions outlined below.
Since the publication of the initial Planning Proposal in December 2021, the proponent has been encouraged by community leaders to provide worker accommodation and optimise the Floor Space Ratio by building to an appropriate employment land architectural height. These recommendations are reflected in the proposed provisions.
Zoning
A total of 6.5 hectares of employment land zoned as prescribed in the BILS Strategic Planning for Area 5, including:
Rezoning Precinct A to Zone E3 Productivity Support
Rezoning Precinct B & C to E4 General Industrial Zone
Increasing land zoned C2 Environmental Conservation and C3 Environmental Management.
Further details for each Zone can be found in the Byron Shire Local Environment Plan (LEP), under ‘Land Use Table’, here.
Floor Space Ratio
Amending the Floor Space Ratio Map to provide a 0.9:1 Floor Space Ratio specific to BILS Precincts, consistent with the typical Floor Space Ratios in the Byron Arts and Industry Estate locality.
Lot Size
Amending the Lot Size Map to 5 hectares for land on the eastern side of the Pacific Motorway and various sizes for land on the western side to facilitate the creation of a Community Title precinct for the BILS land and environs. Defining the minimum area of Torrens Title subdivision for the E3 and E4 zoned land to be 2000m².
Height of Buildings
Amending the maximum building height to 11.5m to support the land use optimisation of the BILS precincts.
Local Clause
Providing for work/live accommodation in the E3 precinct to support the employment land uses.
Precincts
The proposed area to be rezoned is three distinct Precincts plus an area of RU2 Rural land that is to be upzoned to C Zones. The split of precincts will help ensure different uses are appropriately located according to access, topography, site constraints and access. Below is a summary of each Precinct.
Precinct A
Proposed Zoning
E3 Productivity Support
Area
5.30 Hectares (gross), 4.64 Hectares (net)
Description
To provide business park-type developments with work/live units, provide facilities, services, light industries, warehouses, and offices compatible with local centres, maintain economic viability, and support new industries and community needs unsuitable for other zones.
Site Features
Cleared and degraded farmland with elevated views. Partially noise affected to the east. Mix of relatively flat and steeper terrain, with an 18m maximum change in gradient running north to south.
Floor Space Ratio
0.9 : 1
Height Control
11.5m
Min. Lot Size
2000m
Local Clause
Providing for work/live accommodation in the E3 precinct to support the employment land uses.
Precinct B
Proposed Rezoning
E4 General Industrial
Area
0.98 Hectares
Description
To provide diverse industrial and related land uses, ensuring efficient land use, minimising adverse impacts, encouraging employment, enabling non-industrial services for businesses and workers, and supporting creative industries like artisan and cultural activities.
Site Features
Cleared and degraded lower lying farmland. Partially noise affected from the south. A relatively flat site with direct access to Gulgan Road. An existing farmers dam abuts the western portion of the site.
Floor Space Ratio
0.9 : 1
Height Control
11.5m
Min. Lot Size
2000m
Local Clause
NA
Precinct C
Proposed Rezoning
E4 General Industrial
Area
0.88 Hectares
Description
To provide diverse industrial and related land uses, ensuring efficient land use, minimising adverse impacts, encouraging employment, enabling non-industrial services for businesses and workers, and supporting creative industries like artisan and cultural activities.
Site Features
Cleared and degraded lower lying farmland. Partially noise affected from the east and south. Flat site with direct access to Gulgan Road.
Floor Space Ratio
0.9 : 1
Height Control
11.5m
Min. Lot Size
2000m
Local Clause
NA
Other
Proposed Rezoning
C3 Environmental Management
Area
4.56 Hectares
Description
Increase (by some 215%) the extent of land zoned C2 Environmental Conservation and C3 Environmental Management in the proposed BILS Community Title precinct.
Site Features
A mix of cleared and degraded farmland with isolated patches of rainforest, small areas of swamp sclerophyll and floodplain forest, and freshwater wetlands.
Floor Space Ratio
NA
Height Control
NA
Min. Lot Size
Amending the Lot Size Map to 5ha in relation to the land on the eastern side of the Pacific Motorway and various sizes concerning land on the western side of the Pacific Motorway to facilitate the creation of a Community Title precinct for the BILS land and environs.
Local Clause
NA
Timeline
People
The companies and individuals behind-the-scenes developing, consulting to and advising on the Proposal.
Creative Capital
Development managers
Planners North
Town planning advice
Balanced Advice
Town planning advice
Simpson & Wilson
Architecture and urban design advice
INGEN Consulting
Civil and traffic engineering advice
Travers Bushfire & Ecology
Bushfire planning and management
Bower Ecology
Biodiversity and ecological management
Across The Line Consulting
Environmental science and community consultation advice
Landscape Workshop
Landscape architectural advice
John Allen & Associates
Agricultural capability advice
Tim Fitzroy & Associates
Land use conflict risk assessment advice
Contaminated Site Investigation Australia
Preliminary site assessment
Everick Heritage
Cultural heritage advice
Relevant Legislation
State Environmental Planning Policies
State Environmental Planning Policies ("SEPPs") relevant to any future development of the land include:
SEPP (Building Sustainability Index: BASIX) 2004
SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008
SEPP (Housing) 2021
SEPP (Industry and Employment) 2021
SEPP (Planning Systems) 2021
SEPP (Primary Production) 2021
SEPP (Resilience and Hazards) 2021
SEPP (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021
Development Control Plan
Provisions of Council's Byron Development Control Plan 14 ("BDCP14") likely to be relevant to the future land use assessment include:
Chapter B1: Biodiversity
Chapter B2: Tree and Vegetation Management
Chapter B3: Services
Chapter B4: Traffic Planning, Vehicle Parking, Circulation and Access
Chapter B5: Providing for Cycling
Chapter B8: Waste Minimisation and Management
Chapter B9: Landscaping
Chapter B10: Signage
Chapter B11: Planning for Crime Prevention
Chapter B13: Access and Mobility
Chapter B14: Excavation and Fill
Chapter D5: Industrial Development
Chapter D6: Subdivision
Chapter D8: Public Art
A site-specific Development Control Plan is proposed, which will refine some of the general specifications contained in Council’s DCP14.