2022-11-14 GC Agenda - Item 4 - Attachment 1 - Short Term Accommodation Monitoring Report 2022

accommodation market, potentially threatening the viability of tourist accommodation,
functions and conferencing venues.
Towards the end of NP2006 operation, issues emerged in the community regarding the
increased use of dwellings for short-term accommodation, particularly dwelling houses, and
the spread into residential neighbourhoods. A significant land use planning issue emerged
regarding the ability for a detached house to be used for short-term accommodation without
further planning approval, resulting in community discussions as to where and if dwelling
houses and multiple dwellings should be used for short-term accommodation.
Whilst NP2006 encouraged and recognised the importance and benefits of tourism, it did not
envisage the explosion and spread of unregulated and unmanaged short-term accommodation
and home hosting in traditional residential areas, nor the potential impacts on residential
amenity, sense of community, housing supply and affordability.
By the end of NP2006’s operation, the range of impacts arising from short-term
accommodation and concerns around affordable housing for residents and key workers in
particular, were the biggest community issues. This was made evidently clear throughout the
preparation and consultation of the Draft NP2020 which is discussed in section 2.8 of this
report.
2.2 Community profile – 2001-2021
Statistics in this section include the periods between 2001 and 2021, covering the time Noosa
Plan 2006 was in operation and the first 2 years of Noosa Plan 2020. The statistics are
therefore relevant to the discussion in both Parts 2 and 3 of this report.
Between 2001-2021 Noosa’s population growth rate averaged 1.3% per year, a product of
limited land supply and expansion opportunities. During this period, the community aged, with
an increased proportion of people over 65 with the percentage of people in the 25-44 year age
group significantly decreasing. Households comprising couples with children remained steady
and couple only and lone households increased.


2.2.1 Population growth
From 2001 to 2021 Noosa’s estimated resident population grew from 43,496 to 56,873, an
overall average annual growth rate of 1.3%.
Table 1 Estimated Resident Population Noosa Shire




The graph below shows higher growth rates during the 2012-2013 and 2016-2018 time
periods. There was also a growth spike during the 2019-2020 year then slump the following
year.




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Noosa Council Monitoring Report 2022/23