Little cloud hovers over Tim Freedman's Byron Bay wedding venue plans
The rock musician-turned-entrepreneur Tim Freedman is battling Byron Shire Council for approval to use his near-beachfront Broken Head retreat as a wedding reception venue.
He wants permission to hold up to 35 functions a year with a maximum of 70 guests. The functions to stop at 10pm, with all live acoustic music to finish by 8.30pm. But neighbours have lodged concerns with council before the mid-June close of comments.
Freedman, the singer with ARIA-winning band The Whitlams, paid $2.8 million in 2009 for the 1.1-hectare holding in the upmarket bushland Pavilions Estate at Broken Head. The Newtown-based Freedman had for many years prior been content with a cabin at the local holiday park.
Tucked away adjoining a beachfront bushland reserve, it's one of seven in the Pavilions development by Mathew Macpherson and three partners. It comes complete with interconnected pavilions, one each dedicated to living, dining, entertaining and sleeping.
The neighbours’ complaints mostly relate to excessive noise, litter, traffic, access and parking problems.
There are also concerns regarding the local fauna, which could be affected adversely “by the light, noise and impact by vehicle strikes”.
Freedman’s lawyer, Wroth Wall, has told the Northern Star that Freedman’s case centres on the fact that the area is zoned T2, for tourist use, and that weddings and other functions fall within that category.
After the council received several complaints in relation to weddings occurring at the Pavilions development, it served a noise abatement direction on Freedman last November.
The council report noted that the premises had since been advertised as a wedding venue with a capacity of 50 guests sit-down or 90 guests canapé-style.
Following an order to cease use of the property as a place of assembly, a Land and Environment Court proceeding could determine the future of Freedman’s plans.
In May 2011 Freedman lodged a development application to use his premises as a place of assembly on nominated conditions.
The application has yet to be presented to a formal council meeting for consideration.
