Have your say on proposed location for Byron Community Market

Published on 06 May 2021

Byron Shire Council is seeking community feedback on a proposal to permanently relocate the monthly Byron Community Market from the Main Beach foreshore to Railway Park and surrounds in the centre of town.

The Byron Community Market has been operating from Main Beach since 2019, when it was temporarily moved from Butler Street Reserve due to works on the Byron Bay Bypass project. The future use of Butler Street Reserve is also awaiting outcomes of site investigations.

“Our current proposal is for the final ‘home’ for the market to be in the Byron Bay town centre, with Railway Park at its heart,” Byron Shire Acting Mayor, Michael Lyon said.

The proposal would include closure of Jonson Street next to Railway Park to vehicles on monthly market days.

“This proposal is in line with the work the community has been doing for years, to re-imagine the town centre as a place that’s filled with life and people and activity, removing the emphasis on cars, as reflected in the Masterplan.

“The proposed site is a much more people-friendly environment where you can meander around, enjoy the park, the trees and shade, nearby shops, seating and the vibe!” he said.

“There are examples all over the world showing that a market in a town centre brings vibrancy to the community and drives foot traffic to local ‘bricks and mortar’ businesses.”

“With the bypass now operating and the recent upgrades across the entire rail precinct, there is finally an opportunity for this vision to be realised and we want to hear from the wider community about this idea,” the Acting Mayor said.

The Byron Community Market runs on the first Sunday of each month with approximately 300 stalls.

“The foreshore location was never intended to be a permanent solution for the markets because the environmental and community impacts at this location are too large,” the Acting Mayor said.

“There are obviously constraints that need to be worked through with the proposed location in the town centre, particularly around traffic, parking and waste management – but they are matters which can be resolved through the planning and Development Application process,” he said.

“The first step is getting feedback from the community on the proposed new location in the centre of town, so I encourage everyone to get online and have a say.”

The community survey (www.yoursaybyronshire.com.au/byron-community-market) is open until Friday 28 May and will inform the final market area, layout and issues or constraints that need to be addressed.