Gulgan Village – what you should know. 

Although it is still a long way away, the new proposal, known as the Saddle Road Precinct, is quite interesting, and I thought it worthwhile to share it with you. The traffic delays we are experiencing along Mullumbimby Road between Uncle Tom’s Pies and Mullumbimby are just a small part of the planned changes.

Large Lot Residential

Another reason for the ongoing roadworks is the development happening at 53 Macauleys Lane. This will be a relatively conventional large-lot subdivision, delivering 38 rural lots of approximately 2 acres each.  It’s been decades in the making and is expected to be ready for new homes to start around the end of 2027. These blocks will suit families who want space while staying close to everything the Byron Shire has to offer. Part of the roadworks includes a new left-hand turn into Macauleys Lane to manage future traffic.

Also approved for development is land on the southern end of Saddle Road, to the north of Mullumbimby Road. Plans for some of it have not yet been lodged, but a large portion of it is owned by the unsuccessful Greens councillor, Mathew O’Reilly. He has extensive DAs approved for various activities: dual occupancy, nursery, cabins, animal boarding, wind turbine, farm produce, and roadside stall.

This Saddle Road area has been “Under Investigation” for development since the 1988 LEP (Local Environment Plan). In the early 1990s, various ideas were proposed about the usage of this land, including a high school or a hospital. A recent effort to establish an eco-village garnered widespread community support but faced serious resistance from neighbours, ultimately forcing the owner to call it quits.

The Saddle Road

The more interesting part of the story is unfolding on the north side of The Saddle Road, closer to Brunswick Heads. The northern end of the Saddle Road Precinct, known as Gulgan Village, will be accessible only from a new roundabout to be built on Gulgan Road. The existing Saddle Road will be converted into a pedestrian and bike-only central spine within Gulgan Village.

The location of the roads and bike paths in the southern end of the precinct will not be resolved until Council completes its Precinct Structure Plan. Unfortunately, the road works being done now along Mullumbimby Road do not include the planned bike path to connect Brunswick Heads and Mullumbimby, which is a missed opportunity.

The council’s work on the structure plan, infrastructure plan and investigation of indigenous values is funded with a $300,000 grant from the Reconstruction Authority, which promotes climate change resilience. Not resilience as in “bouncing back after disaster,” but resilience built through connection, sharing, and well-planned place-making.

Gulgan Village

Gulgan Village will be a mixed-use, innovative development that is more like a new suburb than a development. It includes residential housing, as well as business and industrial parks. Housing types include affordable dwellings, co-housing clusters, micro-lots, multi-unit and row housing, as well as live-work units and light industrial spaces. These are integrated with landscaped corridors, community gardens, and shared spaces. Five per cent of the expected 400 – 550 housing stock will be given to the Bundjalung of Byron Bay (Arakwal) Aboriginal Corporation.

Gulgan Village aims to provide employment close to home, reduce long commutes, and provide economic security without compromising ecological integrity. Its guiding framework is doughnut economics—growth that respects both environmental and human needs. The planning process always takes time, and moving in will be at least ten years away.

Business and Industrial Land

The new village includes 6.5 hectares of business park and industrial land. This is part of the Business and Industrial Land Strategy that was exhibited for public consultation and approved in 2018/19. The BILS Area 5 features a combination of live-work business park and general industrial areas. It will be accessed through the new Gulgan Road roundabout, and presumably, many employees will be able to walk or bike from homes within the precinct.

Group Homes

At the far north end of the site is the area dedicated to the Group Homes. The Group Homes will be housing for women and children who are currently locked out of accessible housing. They will feature five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a bunkhouse, shared facilities, and gardens. The dwellings will be held in trust by the Byron Shire Community Land Trust and will be 100% not-for-profit. 

Is it True?

Understandably, we here in Byron Shire have seen many grand visions and glossy brochures promising solutions. Why is there hope that the Gulgan Village will be any different? The team behind this venture have had a lengthy track record of delivering successful projects. Creative Capital was behind the Habitat precinct in Byron Arts and Industry Estate. They are assisted in consultation by Rod Simpson, one of Australia’s most esteemed and respected architects and urban planners. The Group Homes are auspiced under the Community Land Trust, which has been in development for many years and was finally completed by Creative Capital, with donations from local philanthropists through the Northern Rivers Community Foundation.

 

Big development projects in Byron Shire are complex, costly and time-consuming. Understandably, many in the shire are wary of excessive and inappropriate development that prioritises profit over other considerations. There have been plenty of examples of that.  However, when something emerges that appears likely to yield positive social outcomes, such as the Gulgan Village, which has the potential to become a community asset, we should support it.