How dense do they think we are?

The West Byron urban release area has the potential for a maximum of some 2,580 houses if all residential lots were developed as attached dwellings on 150m² lots. At the other end of the spectrum, allowing for a range of lot sizes indicates that a minimum of some 1,660 residences across the development would be a reasonable estimate. Therefore the BRG’s claims of 1,500 to 2,000 houses must be regarded as conservative.

It is clear that both the Department of Planning and the Environment (DoPE), and the West Byron landowners. have grossly mislead the community regarding the potential size of this development.

Last year the West Byron landowners (News 2 October) claimed that 1,100 houses was the theoretical maximum allowable on their site. The landowners’ claim was based on the false premise that minimum lot sizes are 550 m² in the low density zone and 250m² in the medium density zone. They then claimed that a 25-30% reduction needs to be made to account for roads and infrastructure, giving 770-825 houses.
Here is the link to the full West Byron Bay Assessment Report

The Department’s claims were false.

At that time DoPE identified minimum lots sizes as 450m² and 200m² respectively in the low and medium density residential zones, though their then proposed DCP (p39) identified the minimum as 150m² for the medium density zone. So at that time the theoretical maximum was 1,718 houses, which reduces to 1,203-1,288 with allowance for roads and infrastructure. So the Department of Planning’s then estimate that it could be for up to 1,100 houses was reasonable, though a likely under-estimate.

The allowable density has since been dramatically increased with the SEPP.

The final West Byron SEPP extended the 150m² minimum lot sizes from the medium density residential zone to the low density residential zone. Now the SEPP allows minimum lot sizes of 150m² for attached and semi-attached dwellings and 200m² for detached dwellings in both residential zones. This increases the theoretical maximum number of dwellings to 3,687 attached dwellings or 2,765 detached dwellings. If the higher 30% reduction is made to account for roads and infrastructure, this gives a potential yield of 2,581 attached dwellings or 1,936 detached dwellings.

It is recognised that a variety of lot sizes are likely to be used. If, as a best case, half the lots in the medium density residential zone were limited to 200m² and half to 150m² (with a 30% reduction) this would result in a potential 450 houses. If half the lots in the low density residential zone were limited to 450m² and half to 200m² (with a 30% reduction) this would result in a potential 1,120 houses. So a yield of 1,570 houses could be regarded as a minimum for the residential zones.

It needs to be recognised that shop top housing is also allowed in the 1.1 ha business zone. No minimum sizes are prescribed for these, but if 200m² lots and the above assumptions are applied this could result in an additional 39 shop-top residences. Similarly caretaker flats are allowed in the 7.5ha light industrial zone, subdivision is limited to 1,000m², so (with a 30% reduction) this could allow another 53 residences.

So a minimum of 1,660 residences across the development would be a reasonable estimate.

DoPE have clearly lied to their Minister and the community.

DoPE’s claim that “The estimated yield s up to 1,100 residential lots if the site is fully developed at the minimum lot size” is plainly false and misleading. There are no other constraints within the SEPP or DCP to limit the yield of lots and nothing to require that they be released in a staged process over 20 years.

Extracts from DoPE’s “West Byron Bay Urban Release Area Assessment Report”

(27 May 2014).