2021-02-25 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                          25 FEBRUARY 2021

In contrast Council’s Housing Needs Analysis (Briggs and Mortar, April 2017) includes a review of
the need for retirement villages. The analysis includes the following:
      Adopting the 10% notional rate, the current provision is a theoretical shortfall of 63 units (in
      2016, 746 units, compared to the required benchmark of 809 units). By 2036, an additional
      515 units would be required to reach the benchmark. If all approved/proposed units are
      constructed, the supply would be adequate to 2036. However if any of the approved
      developments are not constructed, a deficiency would occur. Should the popularity of
      retirement villages continue to increase over time as has occurred in Australia and to an even
      greater extent overseas, it is also possible that a higher shortfall would arise in the future.
      … At the very least, sites earmarked for aged housing, or with current approvals, will need
      to be protected against other types of development, and redevelopment of existing sites into
      a variety of aged housing forms, facilitated.
      … The relatively few retirement village facilities in Noosa Shire (especially in coastal areas),
      together with an apparent under provision of aged care places and home care packages ,
      and a lack of smaller, more affordable dwellings and high levels of housing stress, belies the
      needs of the current and future aged population of Noosa Shire. The choices are to move
      away to other areas of the Sunshine Coast region to access residential services in potentially
      cheaper accommodation, to return interstate if that was their origin, or to move into residential
      aged care prematurely. Those renting are particularly vulnerable.
      Retirement villages and residential care facilities are part (and an important part) of the
      package of solutions but also important is the ability for people to age in place within their
      existing town/community through improved housing choice and flexibility. In this regard, the
      secondary dwelling amendments and an increase in the establishment of small unit or semi-
      detached complexes not necessarily specifically for the aged, should contribute significantly.
The need for retirement villages and aged care facility was specifically considered with the planning
for Noosa Plan 2020 and it was concluded that sufficient sites were already identified for retirement
villages until 2036 but an undersupply was noted for aged care facilities. This is generally reflected
in the following comments from Council’s Strategic Planning Department:
      In reviewing the current planning scheme and considering future needs for the aging
      population of Noosa Shire, it became evident that a significant shortage in residential care
      was emerging and set to worsen into the future. Noosa Council is particularly concerned
      about the needs of our residents into the future when they can no longer live independently.
      By the year 2041 we anticipate some 4,000 residents of Noosa Shire will be 85 years of age
      or older, nearly this many again will be between 80 and 84. To put it another way, people 80
      and over are projected to make up over 11% of the Shire’s population at that stage.
As a result of this review the new planning scheme re-zoned the land on the opposite side of Myall
Street, 125 Myall Street, from Rural Zone to Community Facilities Zone with an annotation
supporting a Residential Care Facility on the site. Furthermore the Urban Growth Boundary has
been amended to include 125 Myall Street but the subject site remains outside of the boundary. It
is noted that 125 Myall Street is large enough to accommodate both an aged care facility and self-
contained retirement units.
The applicant has suggested that the proposed development can provide housing for an ageing
population and that a partnership with PresCare will allow for ageing in place, thus satisfying the
need for additional aged care facilities in Noosa.
Whilst the applicant promotes GemLife’s partnership with PresCare as an ageing in place solution
it is noted that the services provided by PresCare and other providers are available to all persons
and are not contingent on being a resident in a facility such as the one proposed by the applicant.
Furthermore the proposal does not provide a transition to the higher levels of care which will
ultimately be required by residents.
It is also not apparent how the proposal offers greater choice in housing than that which exists in
Cooroy or indeed Noosa Shire already, apart from being within a managed community for the

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