Council Report 131998 981211 5 Amended proposal

     ATTACHMENT 1 – (131998.981211.5) – COORDINATOR PLANNING REPORT


REPORT
1.    PROPOSAL
A report was presented to Council at the Planning and Environment Committee on 12 September
2023 assessing a change to an existing golf course approval over the site which sought to allow a
group farm stay to be developed. The group farm stay was detailed as an undefined use and
proposed to cater for school groups, weekend groups and school holiday use for up to 299 persons.
The assessment of the application found that while the nature of the use made it suitable for a rural
property rather than urban, the proposed farm stay activity did not further the SEQ Regional Plan
2017 strategies and far exceeded the small scale of use intended by the Noosa Plan 2020. Further
issues included the development alienating mapped agricultural land, impacts on rural amenity due
to traffic, and bushfire and evacuation. The application was recommended for refusal.
The matter was referred to the General Committee meeting of 18 September 2023 where
Councillors supported the recommendation for refusal of the application.
On 20th September 2023 the applicant stopped the decision making period in accordance with the
Planning Act to enable further negotiations.
Several discussions were subsequently undertaken with staff and the applicant, with a formal
change to the application lodged on 18 October 2024. This change proposed:
•     A reduction of the development from three villages catering for up to 299 persons to one
      village with 88 beds and a common kitchen, dining and activity hall.
•     A reduction in Gross Floor Area (GFA) from 8,325m2 to 1150m2.
•     Removal of the communal building (2330m2) .
•     Smaller individual tents of light weight/semi - permanent construction.
•     Retention of the existing clubhouse (previously proposed to be demolished and replaced with
      a large central facilities building).
•     Removal works in the waterway.
•     Provision of an emergency fire access trail along the southern boundary to connect to
      Cootharaba Downs Road.
Further elevations and renders were submitted to Council on 8th November 2024, with the applicant
advising the location was chosen for the following reasons:
•     Do not want to alienate the golf course
•     The proposed buildings make use of the area of the site that least impacts the golf course
•     Takes advantage of most level and open part of the site
•     Does not alienate permaculture opportunities
•     More authentic experience for kids, as further away from carpark/ road infrastructure.
The revised proposal and Bushfire report was subsequently referred by staff to an external Bushfire
Consultant who indicated that the buildings should be located outside any mapped hazard area.
Amended plans locating the ‘Clamping Village’ outside the mapped hazard were received 9th
December 2024. (Note: The terms Clamping Village and Clamping tents have been clarified by the
applicant as meaning camps for kids eg ‘class camping’ as opposed to ‘glamorous camping’.)
The amended proposal includes:
•     A central communal area (544m2) including kitchen, storage areas, dining hall, activity hall
      and amenities.
•     Clamping Village 1 (303m2) which includes a seven clamping type tents with five student
      tents and two teacher tents. Eight beds are provided in each student tent with two beds in
      each teacher tent.