2021-08-10 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                     10 AUGUST 2021


b)    incompatible uses, or uses which are more appropriately accommodated in other zones are
      avoided to protect land for medium impact industry activities and to ensure the continued
      efficient operation and viability of existing and future industry uses;
…
i)    warehouses for self-storage facilities are avoided to protect industrial land from
      underutilisation;
The approved development of self-storage warehouse is not compatible with the purpose or overall
outcomes of the Medium Impact Industrial zone. Overall outcome j) specifically states that
warehouses for self-storage are avoided to protect industrial land from underutilisation to ensure
land continues to be available for industrial businesses to support Noosa’s economy and provide
employment for residents. While self storage facilities have traditionally located in industrial uses,
they are not an industrial activity in nature and employed limited persons. This underutilisation of the
land could comprise the future use of the land for industry activities and does not support the purpose
and overall outcomes of the zone. This is further reiterated within Specific Outcome 3 of the zone
code which states warehouse development is not for self-storage facilities. The approved use would
therefore be considered in conflict with the Noosa Plan 2020.
Planning Act 2016
Currency periods are intended to ensure development approvals are subject to lapsing
arrangements to ensure that development conforms to current public expectations about the nature
and standard of development and changes to planning requirements. However, the ability for the
assessment manager to vary the currency period as part of the development approval is important,
as the nature, scale and staging of development can vary greatly across development approvals.
Currently, the default currency period for a material change of use is 6 years under the provisions of
the Planning Act 2016. This is longer than the currency period for other development and the former
Sustainable Planning Act 2009, because the Planning Act acknowledges that in many circumstances
the establishment of a new use will require other development approvals to be obtained after the
material change of use has been approved. It is therefore necessary that the currency period of the
material change of use approval be long enough to cover the work approvals being obtained and
acted upon before the use actually starts.
In this case, a development permit for MCU17/0025 was issued under the Sustainable Planning Act
with a default currency period of 4 years. As was described within the proposal details the owner
has experienced delays associated with Covid 19 and despite this has pursued obtaining an approval
for Operational Works as part of the further development permits that were required.
This development permit allows for the sequential extension to the already operating self-storage
business on adjoining lots. The applicant is requesting a minor extension of time to the currency
period, due in some ways to circumstances outside of their control. The applicant could also have
lodged an application for self storage in 2018 and received an approval which would be current until
2024 beyond the modest extension requested by the applicant.
4.    CONCLUSION
The application for an extension to the currency period for MCU17/0025 Material Change of Use for
Industrial Business Type 1 Warehouse and OPW17/0095 for Operational Works (Advertising
Devices) at 62 and 64-66 Rene Street, Noosaville is recommended for approval. Despite the
approved use Warehouse (Self Storage) being an inconsistent use under the current Noosa Plan
2020, it is considered the extension sought is warranted, given the applicant has obtained an
Operational Works approval, the request is due in some ways to circumstances outside their control
and the requested extension time frame is minor (9 months).




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