August 2002 First meeting
Worked towards buying the land and becoming incorporated
Decided we wanted to be not-for-profit and consensus based, and defined our aims and objectives
December 2002 Became Bega Eco Neighbourhood Developers Incorporated
Resolved no planning to be done until we were certain of acquiring the site identified as ideal for the project
Building a network of interested and skilled people
Negotiations with owners of land
Liaison with private lenders
Investigating what the processes and requirements of Council would be
July 2004 Settlement of land purchase
BEND team structure becomes established: large numbers of members involved Community liaison with neighbours, community organisations, Council Preparation of Development Application: Plans: block layout, greywater disposal Overview Management Plan Archaeological survey Land management – mowing and agistment
February 2005 DA submitted – a lot for Council staff to work through Greywater and water were the main issues for Council Meanwhile Enviro Fund grant enabled the planting of 6000 trees, shrubs and grasses around the anabranch May 2005
August 2005 Council gave consent in principle (following a recommendation from staff that this be done before spending more time and money) Total redesign of greywater system with new consultants Approval from NSW fire brigade for stand-alone firefighting system Fewer BEND members actively involved
July 2006 Development Application approved Conditions of consent meant we had to apply for modification to: Location of emergency flood access easement Width of footpath between Mumbulla School and Casuarina Width of access road
October 2006 First modification of consent determined Easement issues worked out favourably but Council still wanted a wider road than we had hoped
November 2006 Second modification determined Council allowed us to remove passing bays on widened access road
December 2006 Contracts exchanged with Mumbulla School and deposit released
January 2007 Block allocations to private purchasers finalised for the majority of the 14 publicly available lots
February 2007 Agree to call the neighbourhood Bend
3 May 2007 Construction Certificate application lodged with Council
28 June 2007 Construction Certificate issued
July 2007 Agree to award infrastructure works contract to RD Miller Pty Ltd
July 2007 Price for those blocks to be sold initially set at $129,000
October 2007 BEND awarded Community Water Grant of $100,000
November 2007 Settlement of sale of land to Mumbulla School
27 November 2007 Infrastructure works commenced by RD Miller Pty Ltd
December 2007 Partnership agreement with Community Housing Ltd (CHL)
4 April 2008 Community Housing Ltd submitted an application in partnership with BEND to NSW government to build 10 houses on 5 lots
April 2008 BEND meets with Clean Energy for Eternity
April 2008 Agreed to name accessway Millowine Lane
May 2008 Contracts exchanged on 14th block
June 2008 Pedestrian path from Bega St is named Kurrojer Way
20 June 2008 ‘Practical completion’ of infrastructure works
21 June 2008 2000 people attend BEND’s open day – front page event in Bega District News
August 2008 Contracts exchanged on 15th block
23 September 2008 Subdivision Certificate documents and fees were lodged with Council
25 November 2008 Council issue Bend Subdivision Certificate
4 December 2008 Funding through CHL announced for 10 not-for-profit rental houses on 5 lots
23 January 2009 First Development Application for housing (block 2) lodged with Council
18 February 2009 The subdivision is officially registered, creating 22 certificates of title
12 March 2009 The first of a series of settlements of sale contracts occurs, with a new block owner receiving a title for their own piece of the subdivision
3 April 2009 The 'first sod is turned' as site prepartion begins for a strawbale house on Lot 2 at Bend
2 May 2009 The inaugural AGM of the Neighbourhood Association was followed by a celebration and appreciation of all the work that led to this point
31 July 2009 The first house at Bend reaches Council's 'Occupancy' compliance, allowing the first family to move in
30 October 2009 The sale of the last block available for private puchase is settled
16 November 2009 BEND brings together seven housing applicants to be the 'formation group' that will create an eco-housing group to manage the affordable housing at Bend
4 January 2010 Sale contracts are exchanged between BEND and CHL for the five affordable housing lots
8 January 2010 BEND repays the remainder of the bank loan it took out to pay for infrastructure works
15 February 2010 BEND and CHL sign an agreement about the nature and management of the affordable housing development at Bend
18 February 2010 Final settlement of the sale of five lots to CHL means that BEND has sold all lots and has the money required to fulfil its final tasks
22 February 2010 Council advises BEND that DA consent for its Neighbourhood House, shed and some carports has been granted
15 July 2010 Construction of the Neighbouhood House commences
16 July 2010 Construction of the second Bend house, on Lot 20, finishes
