Council's vision for a creating a precinct for innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity and sustainability on a 5.8 hectare block of land in the Byron Arts and Industry Estate, is being realised.
The land, known as Lot 12, is owned by Council and is located opposite the IGA on Bayshore Drive.
Council has endorsed a Concept Masterplan, which has been developed by The Creative Capital Company.
Creative Capital was the successful applicant from an Expression of Interest (EoI) process run by Council in September 2020.
The Lot 12 EoI was designed to seek an organisation to partner with Council to see 2.6 hectares of land transformed into a precinct with innovation and creativity at the core of business and development.
The next step will be to subdivide the block into three parcels with approximately 3.2 hectares being retained for environmental land, 1.3 hectares retained by Council for development and the remainder sold to Creative Capital.
Council will use the revenue from the sale of the block to Creative Capital to develop its 1.3 hectare site which aims to include a new TAFE Connected Learning Centre alongside other major tenants.
"We hope that TAFE will be an anchor tenant on our site, and they have lodged a development application for their new campus," Mayor Michael Lyon said.
"Council's goal with Lot 12 was not to simply sell it to the highest bidder but to work towards an outcome that would see ongoing benefits for the Byron Shire community for years to come, and I think we have nailed it," Mayor Lyon said.
"TAFE will lease the land for its campus from Council but will pay for the construction of the facility.
"Council will also develop the land next to the campus but what this will look like is only in the early planning stages," he said.
The remaining 3.2 hectare parcel of undevelopable land will remain in Council's hands as it has high environmental values and connects to the West Byron Sewage Treatment Plant.
Information about Lot 12 is on Council's website.
