Application for Hotel Development in Serenity Close. JW Comments. 13Aug23

Application for Hotel Development in Serenity Close, Noosa Heads
Application No: 132008.176.05

1.	Appearance and Obtrusiveness

It is pleasing to see the scaling back in size and site location of the proposed buildings which comprise the hotel, in response to the comments made by Council on the earlier development proposal.  This is a great help in addressing residents’ concerns over the appearance and obtrusiveness of the proposed hotel development.  A number of concerns remain, however, to be addressed.

2.	Traffic

The development will create significantly increased traffic volumes, particularly affecting Grant Street, Serenity Close and (to a lesser extent) Katharina Street.  Of these, the most affected will be Grant Street, which is a wholly inadequate access and egress road for the increased traffic, consisting as it does, of two narrow carriageways (east and west) reduced in width by parked traffic and affected by in-and-out traffic from the homes on both sides.  Council is strongly urged to re-open Banksia Avenue to through traffic to alleviate the pressure on Grant Street.

3.	Parking

It is encouraging that the Applicant has agreed to increase considerably the number of car parking spaces provided in the proposed hotel development.  However, it is inevitable that casual visitors to the hotel will seek to avoid being sucked into the maw of three levels of underground parking in the hotel itself and will prefer to park in the adjoining residential streets, of which the bulk will home in on Serenity Close.  This will create unacceptable problems of road safety, residents’ access and availability of space for residents’ parking.  Council is strongly urged to create some means of dissuasion and compulsion to force casual traffic to park in the hotel and not on adjacent residential streets. A regime which gives exclusivity to residents and their invited guests would be desirable.

4.	Pedestrian Access

There is no adequate means of pedestrian access from Serenity Close to Noosa Junction and onwards to the Hastings Street precinct.  The Applicant has identified pedestrian footpaths along Serenity Close and Banksia Avenue, but it is quite unrealistic to expect people on foot to access Noosa Junction and Hastings Street from Serenity Close via Banksia Avenue.  This creates significant road safety concerns along Grant Street and Katharina Street, which will be exacerbated by increased foot traffic from the proposed hotel.  It is essential at the very least that Council create a pedestrian footpath along the south/west side of Grant Street and preferably also one along Katharina Street.