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Woolworths Supermarket Approval in Mullumbimby Slammed

Woolworths supermarket and bottleshop has now been approved for Mullumbimby.

Mullumbimby Community Action Network’s response is that we are appalled that the State government has ignored Byron Shire Council’s condemnation of the proposal as “unacceptable”, the non-endorsement of the plans by Whitehead Associates Environmental Consultants and the passionate voice of the people.

NBN television interview with Mullumbimby residents

However, we have not seen the plans, documents and Environmental Review. These have been kept a secret from community and we have seen nothing for seven months, since the public exhibition of the proposal on 23 June 2008. They are not even on the Department of Planning’s website. We do not know what they and Woolworths have in store for us. We have been silenced by the Department of Planning’s lack of transparency.

Where to now? As a community we can come together and let Woolworths know loud and clear that we object to their pigheadedness in going ahead with proposals that our Council says won’t work. Why don’t they wait for the new STP like everyone else has to? Who will clear up their sewage mess when the flood comes? Why don’t they choose a better site?

And then there is localization. This crisis is an opportunity for us to get more creative as a community. On 2 February there is a public meeting on Station Street land between Council and the pre-school at 3.30pm. Byron Shire Council suggests affordable housing and other community and commercial uses and they want suggestions from us all. How about a food co-op/farmers market/local products outlet as an alternative to the industrial growth monster? We need to come together and work with each other and our local shops to create resilience so we are not shattered by a big box imposed upon our town. This is an opportunity for us, they say, to incorporate the spirit, culture and values of Mullumbimby into a development that will benefit the existing and future community.