Independent body proposes a 60-day cap for Byron Bay’s short-term holiday properties.

Byron Bay’s short-term holiday rentals could be capped at 60 days if the state government 
decides to take the advice of the NSW Independent Planning Commission.

The proposal to reduce the state-imposed cap of 180 days to 90 days for unhosted, Airbnb-style 
properties has been ongoing since the government first announced the legislation. 
Aimed at convincing homeowners to return their properties to the long-term rental pool, the 
proposal has been met with a mixed response from the local community. Some say it will 
devastate the local economy. Others believe that something’s got to give, and a cap reduction is 
a sensible first step towards fixing the housing crisis.

For many, the outcome of the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) assessment is a 
welcome surprise. However, those who were against the 90-day cap in the first place, claim the 
60-day proposal poses a significant risk to tourism, which has already been affected by the 
economic downturn.

The decision by the planning minister will be announced over the next couple of months. Until
then, Byron Bay and other NSW communities facing similar housing issues will wait to hear the 
outcome, and the topic will no doubt continue to be hotly debated around town.