2016-08-09 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                     9 AUGUST 2016


Noosa Radiology has outgrown its existing premises and requires the employment of additional
technicians, support staff and floor area in order to meet the needs of its growing practice. There
are no other vacant premises offering contiguous floorspace with access to the Noosa Hospital
and other health and medical practitioners that would cater to the needs of the expanded radiology
practice.
Further, there are no purpose-built health and specialist centres within Noosa of the nature
proposed on the subject site. The proposed development offers the opportunity for the expansion
of Noosa Radiology, and the consolidation of other specialist health and medical facilities, including
the introduction of new specialist services to Noosa seeking a professional, health care location.
The older age profile of the Noosa community is expected to generate strong and ongoing demand
for health care services. There are no purpose-built facilities that can cater for the existing and
additional health care services that this community would require, within proximity of the Noosa
Hospital.
There is a clear and pressing need for the development of a purpose-built health care centre that
would consolidate health care facilities within the one location, reducing the need for Noosa
residents to travel outside their local area to access radiology services and other specialist
treatment.
Further, the proposed specialist health centre would have a net positive economic and social
benefit for the Noosa community and would not undermine the existing centres hierarchy. More
particularly, it is Urban Economics’s opinion that the proposed specialist health centre will
complement and enhance the vibrancy, vitality and performance of the centres network for Noosa.
Noosa Council’s Local Economic Plan adopted in December 2015 identifies the need to service
Noosa’s aging population. The Plan highlights the health and wellness sector as a key focus area
for Noosa’s economic growth and aims to facilitate increased:
•     employment and career opportunities
•     business activity
•     collaboration and clustering
•     education and training opportunities. (refer Local Economic Plan 2015 pg.17)
While the proposal broadly aligns with the Local Economic Plan’s aims, the primary premise of the
development is said to be Noosa Radiology’s expansion needs for an additional 300m2 of
floorspace. Critically, the application does not address whether additional floor space could be
made available at Noosa Radiology’ existing premises at the Noosaville Medical and Professional
Centre on Goodchap Street. Instead, Urban Economics suggest: the space vacated by Noosa
Radiology within the Noosaville Medical and Professional Centre would allow for the consolidation
of Central Queensland University’s functions within the [Centre].
A detailed submission objecting to the application was received by the owner of that centre which
includes town planning advice from Adamson Town Planning and economic advice from Foresight
Partners. The submission states:
Noosa Radiology is currently located in the Centre and occupies about 744m² of floor space and
has been a long term tenant at the site. In addition, there are about 8 doctors, a pathology lab and
chemist that operate from the site, which suggests that the Centre is currently providing support to
the Noosa Hospital, consistent with the intentions under the planning scheme. It is noted that
currently, the medical related uses occupy about 35% of the current floor space at the Centre, with
Noosa Radiology occupying about 9% of the total floor space, which is substantial.




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