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

   3. visitor only sites were identified at the exclusion of permanent residents to avoid a mix
      of visitors and residents;
   4. small dwellings in a mixed use format for permanent residents, in particular key
      workers, in the Business Centre zone in Noosa Junction and Thomas / Mary Street;
   5. continued allowance for home hosted and bed and breakfast styles of accommodation
      in a dwelling house;
   6. continued allowance for rural accommodation for rural based tourist accommodation.

2.7 Other considerations for Noosa Plan 2020
During the life of NP2006 and leading up to the preparation of Noosa Plan 2020, a number of
strategies and reports were undertaken which helped inform the new plan. Interestingly, earlier
reports did not foresee the issues and implications of short term accommodation and very
much followed through the prioritisation of visitor accommodation over the provision of housing
for residents, and the conflicts residents posed tourists.
As time progressed however, the full implications and impacts of short term accommodation
were identified in line with the growth of short term accommodation.
Below is an outline and extracts from those that were relevant to housing, the tourism economy
and short term accommodation.


2.7.1 Draft Residential Development Strategy 2007
In 2007, prior to amalgamation of Noosa Shire into Sunshine Coast Regional Council, a draft
Residential Development Strategy (the Strategy) was prepared by Noosa Council. The
Strategy specifically recognised the mix of housing for both permanent residents and visitors
but prioritised the protection of residential amenity. The Strategy failed however to identify the
impacts of visitor accommodation on permanent housing stock, instead identifying that
permanent residents in resort were to be discouraged as it would lead to a reduction in holiday
accommodation and cause conflicts. This in itself would not have been problematic if there
were greater options for resident only smaller dwellings. The Strategy stated:
       It is recognised that Noosa Shire is a popular visitor destination and the mix of housing
       for permanent residents with short-term accommodation for visitors has potential to
       yield conflicts. Where such conflicts arise, the protection of residential amenity prevails.
       Accordingly the protection of holiday resorts for short-term visitor accommodation is
       vital for the local tourism and hospitality industry and the establishment of permanent
       residents within such resorts is discouraged as it not only decreases holiday
       accommodation available but can also lead to conflicts of interest.
       The visitor accommodation precincts of Noosa Heads, Noosaville and Sunshine Beach
       are the dominant urban visitor accommodation areas. Outside of these localities visitor
       accommodation is generally of a smaller scale (such as B&B’s, Guesthouses and Host
       Farms) or nature based accommodation reflecting its physical setting.
       In addition, home-based enterprises such as home offices and B&B accommodation
       are encouraged throughout Noosa Shire but only where they do not impact on the
       residential amenity enjoyed by neighbours.
The Strategy identified an anomaly in NP2006, with home hosted accommodation being
subject to impact assessment due to potential adverse impacts on the amenity of residents in
surrounding houses, however development applications were not being submitted for short-
term letting of entire houses. The report suggested Council investigate the issue to determine
whether it was a real concern and if so, how big an issue it was. This process was interrupted
by Council’s amalgamation, so the issue continued somewhat without further investigation for
many years.


                                                                                            pg. 61
Noosa Council Monitoring Report 2022/23