MCU18.0166 - Response to Information Request

3. Planning context                                    Noosa Shire into nine geographic localities. The
                                                       proposal site is within the ‘Mary River
The following review identifies key documents          Catchment Locality’, in the western part of the
which provide the planning context for the             Noosa council area. The region’s high value
visual assessment of the NBN site.                     scenic areas, landscape features, rural areas,
                                                       trail network and visual amenity are protected
3.1.     SEQ Regional Plan, 2017                       in the planning scheme through zoning,
                                                       overlays, codes, and planning scheme policies
A key priority of the SEQ Regional Plan is the
                                                       that support the local aspects of the planning
protection of regional scenic amenity areas from
                                                       scheme.
development that would compromise their
value, including scenic amenity.                       Mary River Catchment Locality
                                                       Relevant outcomes for the Mary River
The site within the Northern sub-region, in a
                                                       Catchment Locality include:
‘Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area’
(Map 7), containing ‘Regionally significant scenic     (a) New uses and works are located, designed
amenity’ (Map 5c). A key priority for the                  and managed to:
management of this area is to ‘protect the                iii) avoid significant adverse impacts on the
values of this land from encroachment by urban                 amenity enjoyed by users of other
and rural residential development’ (p.100).                    premises, including acoustic and visual
The site is approximately 800 metres south of                  qualities
Woondum National Park, which identified as a
                                                          iv) avoid significant impacts to native
‘regionally significant greenspace’ (Map 5C).
                                                              habitat including fragmentation,
The proposal site is within an area containing                attrition, or removal of vegetation or
regional biodiversity values and corridors (Map               significant habitat features.
5b), including ‘large tracts of vegetation’ that
                                                       (c) The Mary River Catchment retains its
contribute to the ‘scenic amenity value’ (Table
                                                           primary role as a rural and open space
11b).
                                                           area, supporting a range of sustainable
                                                           agricultural uses
3.2.     The Noosa Plan, 2018
                                                       (e) Key features of the landform and landscape
A key element of the planning scheme is to
                                                           are protected including:
reinforce the region’s unique identity and
character, which provides ‘the gateway between             iii) Woondum national park … and
the South-East Queensland region and the Great             v)   the values attached to the remnant
Sandy region’ (s.1.5.d). In particular it values the            stands of rainforest and eucalypt
large areas of natural and rural landscape                      forest. (s.8.7.2)
(including the national parks, watercourses,
mountains and trail network) which provide a           The proposal site is located between Cooran
setting to urban and rural residential areas and       and Woondum National Park. The physical
important views and vistas. The high                   setting of the site is characterised by steeply
proportions of vegetated land, as compared to          dissecting mountain ranges and narrow valley
developed land, ‘distinguish Noosa Shire from          floors, dominated by the Woondum Plateau,
other parts of south-east Queensland’ (s.3.1.3g).      including the Cooran Tablelands/Mothar
                                                       Mountain range system. The intrusive volcanic
To provide assessment and control of                   plugs of Mt Pinbarren, Mt Cooran and Mt
development, the planning scheme divides               Cooroora are noted as ‘prominent topographical


IRIS Visual Planning + Design                                                                 Page 6