SEP & NTE
What is the Special Entertainment Precinct & why the push for the night-time economy in Byron Bay
Byron Shire Council's decision to apply for a Kickstart grant, followed by the NSW Government’s announcement that Byron would be the first regional location to host a Special Entertainment Precinct Trial took many residents and businesses by surprise. Whilst the council's media release promoted poetry readings on street corners and Indigenous storytelling, the fine print clearly identifies the SEP as a tool to stimulate the night-time economy, including extending liquor licensing trading hours within the precinct.
Nature not Nightlife
We believe the SEP is not the right fit for Byron Bay. This city-centric policy and the Vibrancy Reforms were designed to reinvigorate Sydney’s nighttime economy. The Kickstart grant of $162, 800 will not buy one streetlight or fund outdoor cinema nights. The only cast-iron guarantees are:
*an acoustic assessment & a questionable consultation process
*additional staff to assist with a change to the planning rules to allow a SEP trial
*weakened noise regulations designed to enable more live music
*Extended Trading Hours for Licensed Venues
*Reduced liquor licensing fees
*Liquor & Gaming NSW managing noise controls for venues within the precinct.
We know this place is special -
but not in a Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) …
Since the grant was announced, new legislative changes aimed at cutting red tape and ‘activating’ public spaces have drastically reduced the need for implementing the SEP. These changes are confusingly defined as a Cultural SEPP (State Environmental Planning Policy) and remove the need for a Development Applications for various activities, like poetry readings in the railway corridor 😊 and footpath dining.
Basic upgrades to improve community & visitor safety, like transport, amenities, and street lighting, are listed only as possible outcomes of future grants once the SEP is in place — with no guarantees so far.
The SEP Trial is due to be voted on in Council Chambers in November—we urge you to express your views asap to the Mayor & Councillors and to attend the meeting in person.
Byron Shire Council has a limited revenue base, is chronically underfunded, and has struggled to keep up with rising costs and natural disasters. However, this does not excuse the arbitrary decision-making around the proposed Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP).
Everyone is for live music and lane-way activations—but the SEP will be embedded into the Local Environment Plan & Development Control Plan. Reversal of this decision could be problematic.
Fix the Daytime Economy First
Right now, small businesses and locals alike feel despondent with the management of town facilities, no clear tourism strategy (or visitor centre), and a SEP consultation that didn’t include a safety audit or an audit of licensed venues. On top of that, several key projects will continue into summer, ie the drainage works and relocation of the emergency services to Sandhills.
The council lacks the time and resources to deliver a complex policy that has far-reaching implications for residents, small business owners, visitors and other rate- payers across Byron Shire.
