After a year-long consultation process involving design workshops with local businesses, technical experts and the wider community, Council has prepared a draft Precinct Plan for the Byron Arts and Industry Estate – and everyone is encouraged to get online and provide feedback.
"During our discussions and design workshops with the community, there were several messages that came through loud and clear in terms of what people envisioned the future of this much-loved Arts and Industry Estate to be and these have become central themes for the draft Precinct Plan," Council's Place Liaison Officer, Andrew FitzGibbon, said.
"Firstly, the Arts and Industry Estate is unique in the way it has developed over the last decade or so from a local service centre to an eclectic mix of businesses and other uses.
"It has built its own reputation for creativity and entrepreneurism and people are really invested in celebrating and nurturing this innovative culture into the future.
"While this evolution has brought vitality to the place, it has also resulted in a number of significant functional challenges, not the least of which is traffic and access – and it is these types of issues that the draft Precinct Plan also seeks to address.
"For example, we will be trialling a one way traffic route on Centennial Circuit in the near future but have put this work on hold at the moment due to the pandemic," Mr FitzGibbon said.
"The draft Precinct Plan also identifies the vacant Lot 12 Bayshore Drive, opposite the IGA, as a potential sustainability and innovation hub and three concept options have been created to test development ideas and start a conversation with our community.
"We hope everyone who participated in our Enquiry By Design workshops and who have given us valuable feedback over the last 12 months will take the opportunity to review these draft documents and tell us what they think.
"We also invite the wider community to have a look at what is proposed in our draft Arts and Industry Estate Precinct Plan and the development ideas for Lot 12 and join our online forum on 12 May and have a say online," Mr FitzGibbon said.
To provide your feedback and find out information about the online forum go to www.yoursaybyronshire.com.au.
