Behold, the first new house and land release in Byron Bay for over thirty years.
Harvest, Byron Bay by Tower Holdings will comprise 149 new energy efficient homes on generously sized lots, in a location that allows residents to embrace a beachside lifestyle.
The development is set on 150 acres, and features over 50,000 sqm of recreational open space, bike paths and walking tracks, as well as a community centre and gardens. Tower Holdings hopes the development will set a precedent for sustainable and environmentally conscious design for future planned communities across Australia.
Each lot of land is allocated a large bespoke family home equipped with what the developers say is the latest in sustainable design, with Metricon and Brighton Homes formulating the plans for each dwelling. The design features of each house have been utilised in an attempt to reduce residents’ collective footprint and help them to live harmoniously with nature. The homes will include water tanks, solar panels, electric vehicle chargers and Tesla home batteries amongst spacious indoor living spaces that transition coherently to the outdoors.
The revised DA has seen a 49 percent reduction in the clearing of native vegetation in a bid to minimise environmental impact. A 30-metre wide landscape buffer adjacent to Ewingsdale Rd will also be enacted, to ensure the development won’t be visible from the road while creating a secluded estate setting.
Existing bushland within the site will be retained and enhanced through rehabilitation works. The site plan will also conserve 38.4 hectares of existing vegetation, including 2.9 ha of existing frog habitat, to preserve endangered species of Wallum Froglet and Wallum Sedge-Frog. The community will have a strict ‘no dogs and cats as pets’ rule in place in order to protect native wildlife.
Sensitive storm-water management and urban design include swales running alongside all streets. These will aid in recharging groundwater and will be directed to legal points of discharge, mitigating impacts to local groundwater-dependent ecosystems.
The 50,000 sqm of open space throughout the site will comprise three parks, as well as a series of cycleways and paths. A large community park adjoining Ewingsdale Road will comprise childrens play equipment, expansive grass areas and picnic facilities. There will also be a fitness and relaxation-themed park which will comprise outdoor gym equipment and dedicated outdoor exercising areas. The Harvest Oval precinct is a vast green space perfect for sport or leisure, depending on the visitor’s preference.
The future community centre located at the heart of the development aims to create connection between residents within a sustainable building. As well as a number of amenities, the community garden offers a place to gather and tend plants or fill baskets with fruit and vegetables.
A VIP and public launch date for the development is set for mid-November 2021, with completion of the development slated for mid 2023. The first stage of the development will see 54 lots released, with a further 95 lots to be released afterwards.
For more information, visit www.harvestbyronbay.com.au
