2021-03-15 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                 15 MARCH 2021


   While there may be a market for retirement communities in Noosa Shire this is in part as a
   result of our own aging population but is also driven by residents from elsewhere retiring and
   seeking to move to Noosa Shire. The latter is a demand unlikely to ever be met.
   The applicant has provided an economic needs assessment and a community needs
   assessment in support of the application. The economic need assessment asserts that there
   is currently an indicative oversupply of 117 aged care places within the catchment area,
   with an undersupply of independent living units and manufactured homes for 231 persons.
   Over the period to 2041, the undersupply of independent living units and manufactured
   homes is projected to worsen to 406 persons given the current undersupply and aging
   population.
   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.



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