Client: Hornsby Shire Council State: NSW
The Byles Creek corridor has been identified as environmentally significant due to the unique environmental, social and aesthetic values of the area. The corridor provides connectivity between the vegetation along Byles Creek and Lane Cove National Park. The connectivity of this corridor ensures the ability for native fauna to disperse between nearby reserves and the national park as well as providing habitat.
AEC formed part of a multidisciplinary team, led by Elton Consulting, to undertake a review of the suitability of the planning controls applicable to the Byles Creek corridor, with regard to protection and maintenance of the environmental values of the land (‘Byles Creek Planning Study’).
AEC’s role was to assess the potential economic implications of the recommendations of the Study, particularly the economic impacts on the private residential landowners which adjoin the public open space zoned land of the Byles Creek corridor. The outcomes of this Study will be used to inform any recommendations for changes to planning controls, including the Hornsby Local Environmental Plan 2013 (LEP) and the Hornsby Development Control Plan 2013 (DCP).
In undertaking this assessment, AEC undertook a precinct level approach to identify residential lots in the Study Area that are likely to be impacted as a result of changes to planning controls. We applied our knowledge of development and feasibility fundamentals and undertook property market research to determine the level of impact and potential economic implications of the Study recommendations. The approach was effectively an assessment of the economic impacts on the privately owned properties between ‘current state’ and ‘future state’ assuming the recommendations from the Study are implemented.
AEC’s findings were included in the publicly exhibited Byles Creek Planning Study to assist Council and private landowners in their understanding of the implications of the planning recommendations.
Source: Hornsby Shire Council