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

              in the Tourist Accommodation zone and it is not considered there is need to
              further dedicate land for this purpose.


3.3.2 Housing Strategy 2022
Following the preparation of the 2021 Housing Needs Assessment Noosa Council prepared a
Housing Strategy in 2022, being greatly concerned by the housing crisis in Noosa Shire. The
Housing Strategy seeks to set a clear plan for housing in Noosa through to 2041, with the
objectives being to enable housing choice, diversity and affordability to meet the current and
future needs of the community.
A draft version of the Housing Strategy was publicly notified during July 2022, with 82 written
submissions made and 670 survey respondents received.
Overwhelmingly, submitters identified short term accommodation as having a direct impact on
housing availability and affordability in Noosa Shire. There was strong community sentiment
that the existing housing stock should be used to house local residents rather than be used to
accommodate visitors or be locked up for the occasional use by owners as holiday homes.
Most of the community members who engaged in the consultation process were supportive of
initiatives that would broaden housing choice and offer safe, secure, affordable housing for a
wide cross section of local residents, especially workers and vulnerable people.
The survey results indicated the greatest levels of support were for housing for key workers,
followed by vulnerable groups and people in crisis, then families and low income earners. The
cost of housing, the lack of available housing and particularly affordable housing and the
general cost of living were all considered significant obstacles.
There were many submissions that covered the tourism sector and the tension between
housing residents and accommodating tourists within the same stock of residential
accommodation. There was considerable concern about the quantum of short-term
accommodation within the Low Density Residential zone and other residential zones, and the
impact this has on the availability (and cost) of housing for permanent tenants.
A number of submissions raised concern about an excessive number of events and over
marketing of Noosa as a tourist destination, suggesting it had become too hard for local
residents to get around and enjoy the region on any weekend, no longer just at peak periods.
Further they suggested that the very attraction of Noosa, being its expanses of natural
bushland, clean uncrowded beaches/waterways and outdoor recreational spaces are at risk.
Following consideration of submissions, recommendations were made to strengthen
statements within the Housing Strategy that emphasise the role of the Low, Medium and High
Density Residential zones for housing permanent residents and reinforce that changes to the
zone provisions are inevitable to protect housing availability for permanent residents.
Council endorsed the Housing Strategy on 4 November 2022.




                                                                                         pg. 97
Noosa Council Monitoring Report 2022/23