Business and Industrial Lands Strategy (BILS) builds in maximum growth with minimal attention to the data

“This Business and Industrial Lands Strategy (‘The Strategy’) is one of a suite of documents that contribute to local growth management strategy, setting out directions, actions, land suitability, and design principles needed to manage business and industrial lands over the next 20 years for our sustainable future.” Byron Shire Council BILS p. 3

This is BRG’s take on it:

This strategy builds in growth at an unprecedented level. We should never just plan according to a demand-driven growth scenario.

There is no evidence provided for the level of demand that the Strategy proposes. In fact the Strategy contradicts Council’s own background reports. See link to the doc and screen shot below.
The report commissioned by Council to inform the BILS recommended an additional 8-10 hectares was needed – see Chapter 6 of the Byron Shire Employment Lands Background Report – download below. The BILS ended up committing over 36 hectares for industrial development. That’s over three and a half times what was recommended by Council’s own consultants.

The Business and Industrial Lands Strategy (BILS), combined with the Residential Strategy, will drive an unprecedented level of growth in the Shire, that is not necessary, sustainable or desirable.
Parts of the Strategy have not been exhibited – the proposal in Direction 4 of the BILS for ‘precincts’ or ‘hubs’ to potentially be created outside existing business or industrial areas has not been exhibited. This is a Trojan horse for spot rezoning.
The proposal for rezoning the precinct near the hospital had never been seen before the last meeting of Council, when it was included in the Strategy attached to the agenda. Additionally, there is nothing in any of the reports done that suggest a need for it.
The report commissioned by Council to inform the BILS recommended an additional 8-10 hectares was needed – see Chapter 6 of the Byron Shire Employment Lands Background Report. The BILS ended up committing over 36 hectares for industrial development. That’s over three and a half times what was recommended by our own consultants.
The Strategy contradicts the expressed wishes of the community, as evidenced by the submissions, to not have heavy industry in the Shire, yet the Strategy proposes General Industry zones – which permit hazardous industries – instead of Light Industry, which does not.
The Strategy ignores the findings of our own Business Survey Report, our own Business and Industrial Lands Background report and 3 different State planning reports or strategies.
DPIE has recommended against elements of the Strategy and no reason has been given to justify going against their recommendation. Usually we are pushing back against the Department to limit growth, why are we pushing back against them to enable the rezoning of land we don’t need?