MCU14/0106 Appendix H - Bushfire Assessment Report

Noosa Civic Expansion
Bushfire Assessment Report



5.      The only area where the SPP 1/03 building setback guidelines are not complied with is in respect of
        the setback of buildings from existing native forest vegetation in Covenant J. In respect of any fire
        risks associated with this narrow band of forest it is noted that:
          - the proposed development and the Covenant J protected vegetation (and any additional trees
            retained adjacent to Covenant J) are considered to be within the development area protected by
            the firebreak and fire management access provided by the Hofmann Drive extension;
          - a building façade setback of between 3 – 8m is provided to the eastern boundary of Covenant J
            to the south of the proposed pedestrian link, where the adjacent building will comprise a
            basement carpark (partly open-sided) and blank fire-proof wall to the proposed Discount
            Department Store and ‘Mini-Major’ outlet, with no roof overhangs;
          - the proposed pedestrian link through Covenant J will have no setback;
          - a building façade setback of 0.5-14m is provided to the eastern boundary of Covenant J to the
            north of the proposed pedestrian link, with outdoor dining deck structures to within 5 m , although
            existing trees within this setback will be retained (ie. the buffer setback will be effectively zero);
          - new buildings and deck along the western side of Covenant J and to the north of the pedestrian
            bridge, to within 1 – 8m of protected vegetation; and
          - the dimensions and nature of the proposed building setback to the eastern edge of Covenant J is
            generally equivalent to the existing building setback to the western edge of Covenant J
            associated with the existing Noosa Civic development (0m to service ramp and 10m to rear
            corner of existing Woolworths).
Whilst the proposed building setbacks to Covenant J vegetation are less than the setbacks recommended in
the SPP 1/03 Guideline, this situation will not create an unacceptable level of risk to human health or
property given the following facts and circumstances:
      > the proposed Noosa Civic expansion will require clearing of a significant proportion of the existing
        native forest vegetation between Walter Hay Drive, the southern roundabout and the existing Noosa
        Civic centre (with the exception of the band of forest in Covenant J), and will thereby remove much
        of the existing bushfire hazard;
      > relatively narrow band of forest vegetation within Covenant J will be effectively isolated from larger
        areas of vegetation to the south by the proposed extension of Hofmann Drive, which would
        substantially limit the potential for bushfire originating in the southern Open Space Precinct OS2 and
        OS4 to spread into Covenant J;
      > the extent of vegetation within Covenant J is less than 1.5 ha in extent and occurs as a relatively
        narrow band of vegetation (30-65m in width), which factors limit the ability for any fire originating
        within Covenant J to develop to a high severity;
      > the proposed pedestrian link through Covenant J will further fragment the vegetation and interfere
        with the build-up and passage of bushfire;
      > whilst the vegetation within Covenant J is currently equivalent to an eucalypt forest with dry-shrub
        ladder fuels, it contains rainforest elements within the understorey and small tree layer and will over
        time and in the absence of fire transition to a form of rainforest with a lower hazard level;
      > as part of the active management of Covenant J, including the rehabilitation of any areas that may
        be disturbed during the construction of the Noosa Civic expansion, there is the capacity to promote
        the development of a native rainforest community to further reduce bushfire hazard levels;
      > the presence of a drainage line within Covenant J combined with the sheltering effects of substantial
        buildings to the east and west means that relatively high moisture levels are likely to be maintained
        within Covenant J which minimises the potential for the build-up and curing of fuel loads; and
      > in the event of a bushfire occurring within Covenant J access for fire suppression purposes would be
        available from the eastern, southern, western and northern perimeters of Covenant J.




QIC Noosa Civic Pty Ltd                             Version 1                                      3 December 2014
J13041_Bushfire Assessment V1.docx            Commercial in Confidence                                    Page 11