Arborist Report inc VMP

Arborist Report
14 Serenity Close, Noosa Heads



The design of the overall development footprint was modified to avoid and minimise
impacts to adjacent trees. Examples of design changes by the project engineers and
architects include:

   ● Articulation of built form and structure to enable tree retention,
   ● Retention of trees in courtyards and landscape areas,
   ● Reduction of earthworks batters associated with basement excavation (Refer to
      VMP03a and VMP03b),
   ● Use of sheet piling to avoid encroachment from batters associated with basement or
      footing excavation (Refer to VMP03a and VMP03b),
   ● Use of a suspended slab and elevated driveway construction from Serenity Close /
      Banksia Ave (Refer to VMP03a and VMP03b).

Spatial analysis and evaluation and assessment in accordance with AS 4970-2009
Protection of trees on development sites suggested that at least 69 of the surveyed trees
would need to be removed as part of the proposed changes to the development
including:

   ● 67 native trees, and
   ● 2 exotic or non-endemic trees.

Trees retained and removed are shown on VMP05a-VMP05b (Appendix 1). Not all trees
proposed for removal are impacted by the development – at least 33 trees in poor
condition have been recommended for removal in accordance with arboricultural best
practice. These trees could be replaced within areas of retained vegetation or landscaped
open space as a condition of any development approval.

Results suggested that up to 173 trees could be retained as part of the proposed changes
to the development, including all 9 of the remaining trees indicated as retained on the
approved ‘vegetation management plan’. Although the approved plans indicated only 17
native trees to be retained; contemporaneous assessment suggest that the proposed
changes to the development could enable the retention of up to 156 additional native
trees including:

   ● 34 koala habitat trees,
   ● 47 Allocasuarina spp. trees.

Results of spatial analysis indicated that encroachment within the TPZ of trees to be
retained was either insignificant i.e. less than 10% of the TPZ in accordance with AS 4970-
2009 or, where encroachment exceeded 10% was unlikely to lead to long-term impacts
subject to the adoption of best practice design and management measures which are
described in Section 6.




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