More than 150 people attended Byron Shire Council’s recent Housing Forum which was organised to gather ideas and workshop solutions to the affordable housing crisis in the Shire.
Key presenters, Andy Fergus, an urban designer and Mick Hulme from Witchcliffe Ecovillage, presented examples of alternative housing models and what might be possible in the Byron Shire.
The forum also included a question-and-answer session with an expert panel which included:
- Nicole Gurran – Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Sydney, Director of the Henry Halloran Trust, has led numerous studies on housing, sustainability, and planning, and is the author of several books.
- Andy Fergus – urban designer and housing advocate with a number of concurrent roles including Head of Urban Design at Assemble Communities, Advocacy Lead at Urban Design Forum, Co-director Melbourne Architours and sessional teacher at Melbourne and Monash University
- Roderick Simpson – registered architect, a fellow of the Planning Institute, a corporate member of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and Recognised Urban Designer (UDG UK).
- Nicole Woodrow – has over 20 years’ professional experience in the urban planning and development industry and is the Development Director at Landcom leading the strategic projects specifically addressing housing diversity and affordability.
- Brandon Saul is part of Creative Capital, the team behind Habitat. Creative Capital was formed specifically to help create housing and employment diversity in the Byron Shire.
- Mike Hulme – Co-founder of Witchcliffe Eco Village and Director of Sustainable Settlements. He has also been a board member of the West Australian Planning Commission, Broome Regional Planning Committee, SW Regional Planning Committee and WAPC’s Sustainability Committee.
“The panellists each presented one or two ‘big ideas’ based on their experiences and these were voted on by attendees as a way of getting feedback on whether they might be worth exploring in the Byron Shire,” Byron Shire Mayor, Michael Lyon, said.
The themes and ideas included:
- The importance of community being able to articulate what it wants, how to get there and how we will measure success.
- A preference to nurture a housing industry that embraces alternative tenure and living options with a cooperative focus.
- A demonstration village exemplifying diverse and affordable housing that is ‘Byron’ friendly.
- These are all underpinned by a respect of Bundjalung Country and First Nation Peoples and the importance of (or critical need for) Indigenous housing on country.
A report on the outcomes of the forum is being prepared for Council and Council’s Housing and Affordability Advisory Committee and this will be publicly available.
“On behalf of the Council I thank everyone who took part in the Forum – from the presenters to the members of our community who have a passionate and genuine interest in ensuring all members of our community have access to safe, stable and affordable housing,” Mayor Lyon said.
