Pete Evans-Backed Bush Village Plan Rejected

Plans promoted by celebrity chef Pete Evans to build a self-sufficient community in northern NSW have been rejected by the Northern Regional Planning Panel.

The plans were for 392 dwellings and 10 interconnected rural land-sharing communities in the Tweed Shire at 3220 Kyogle Road, Mount Burrell.

Nightcap Village on Minjungbul would have been a 12-stage development on the 1584.34ha site, which is currently zoned for RU2 Rural Landscape with an area RU5 Village.

Nightcap Developments had been working on the community since 2017, led by Adrian Brennock, Gunham Badi Jakamarra and Derek Zillman.

Currently there are several dwellings, farmland, plantations, campgrounds, cabins and sheds on the site, which is an hour from Byron Bay and Burleigh Heads.

Despite the “do no harm” and community-based philosophy of the development, the application received 225 objections.

It would require 106ha of land clearing and the site home to 33 threatened fauna and seven flora species.

The application was ultimately recommended for rejection due to harm to the environment, breach of population density cap, the wildlife corridor and a lack of a heritage assessment.

The developers also wanted to build shops, a “sacred geometry” pub and healing centres in the future, which were not included in the plans.

The company was already selling shares in the collective land ownership for $299,000, with homes on the site to be designed and built by the individual owners.

Brennock said they had also prepared the prequalification for buyers, who ultimately had to be invited by the tribe and fellow community members.

“We’re looking for like-minded people who share not only the vision but also the energy and the volition to make this an amazing space to live,” Brennock said in a launch video on Youtube.

“To join us there’s over five hours worth of interviews alone at the moment, and that includes touring the land and getting to know us.”

However, the development has been surrounded by controversy including a legal proceeding with a blogger, Evans’ business issues, and previous plans for the site.