Information response

d) provides for adequate buffer areas and buffer elements between nearby uses – The design provides
for 1.8m high screen fencing to adjoining boundaries, with landscape buffers between the building
and boundary. The landscape concept details the intent for a mix of landscape buffer planting
including screening shrubs to 4m high, and feature trees to 8m high.

The proposal complies with Specific outcome O6.

Specific outcome O7 requires building works within character areas to be designed to be sympathetic
to the valued streetscape character. While the HIA has demonstrated there is no valued streetscape
character, the design is sympathetic to traditional building character. This is further referenced in the
Vault Heritage Consulting response commentary to … a purpose-built and appropriately detailed
medical centre structure that also incorporates a moderately pitched, hipped roof form and key
character detailing elements, such as an entrance “verandah” addressing the Maple Street site frontage
and lattice screening suspended from the eaves, as an acknowledgement of and in order to respond to
the Character Area contextual setting of the subject site. The proposal complies with probable
solution S7.2 which requires New buildings incorporate building elements, materials and styles that
reflect the desired built form character of the street or character area and in turn specific outcome O7.

The proposal complies with Specific outcome O7.


Issue
The report provided by Vault Heritage Consulting is titled as a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA).
However, it does not include the basic requirements of a HIA. In general a HIA would be a much more
detailed report including sections showing an understanding of the significance of the place (and its
significance in the Character Area), analysis of heritage (or in this case character) issues affecting the
proposal, detailed assessment of the impact of the proposal (in this case the impact of removing a
place from the Character Area and re-siting in an alternate Character Area) as well as an investigation
of all options to retain and reuse with removal as a last resort. There are industry standard guidelines
for Heritage Impact Statements regarding development on State Heritage Places and these are
generally adapted to meet requirements for local heritage/character reporting. Also, the Burra Charter
principles are not considered at all in the report.

Information Required
3. An updated HIA which includes:
     a. Assessment of the significance of the site and its significance in the Character Area;
     b. Analysis of heritage (or in this case character) issues affecting the proposal;
     c. Detailed assessment of the impact of the proposal (in this case the impact of removing
         a place from the Character Area and re-siting in an alternate Character Area)
     d. An investigation of all options to retain and reuse with removal as a last resort.
     e. Consideration of the Burra Charter principles

Response:
Refer attached character issues response prepared by Vault Heritage Consulting. This response
discusses the apparent confusion between a ‘character building’ and ‘heritage place’ and
misinterpretation of the regulatory scope of the Noosa Plan in relation to the relevant heritage and
character provisions actually applicable to this proposal.

The response further confirms that the detailed streetscape analysis in the submitted Heritage impact
Assessment has clearly demonstrated that the traditional character at the northern end of the Cooroy-
Maple Street Character Area has been already substantially eroded by prior contemporary
redevelopment on adjacent sites such that the proposed removal of the subject house would not
generate a significant or meaningful loss of traditional character from that Character Area.

The response concludes (inter alia) that the submitted proposal for the relocation of the subject
character building at 45 Maple Street, Cooroy and its replacement with a contemporary medical centre
of a traditional built form and compatible detailing represents an entirely appropriate development