MCU10/2116 & REC10/2072 Development Application part 2 planning report 5 Opal Street Cooroy

The Club employs 40 staff and in excess of 30 "permanent" volunteers to provide the
community with a range of services ranging from the provision of accommodation
and food to the SES for provision to victims of disasters to the Charity Santa. The
venues are home bases for a variety of community organizations and events,
providing social, cultural and sporting services to Cooroy and the surrounding area.




6.     MERGER OF CLUBS

During 2005 the Cooroy RSL undertook discussions with Noosa Council regarding
the purchase of the Maple Street site by the Council for use as a Library/Community
Centre. At this time the Cooroy Bowling Club was experiencing financial problems
due to falling member numbers and the residual debt from the renovation of the
clubhouse.

At this time the Cooroy RSL Club members agreed to merge the clubs so that the
Bowls Club could survive and to expand the facilities offered by the RSL Club to its
members.

It was envisaged that the Bowls Club site was the site of the merged clubs following
the completion of the negotiations with Noosa Council regarding the purchase of the
RSL Club. The discussions with Council regarding the relocation scenario were
positive due to the continuing problems of parking at the Maple Street site.

However in 2006 Noosa Council decided to construct a Library at the Mill Place site;
this has left the Club with the predicament of two sites within Cooroy and the debt of
the Bowling Club.

The Club has retained its commitment to the community of retention of all of the
facilities available to Cooroy; that is the provision of the RSL in Maple Street and the
Bowls Club in Opal Street. However the extent of the property surrounding the
Bowls Club is in excess of required; therefore the applicant intends to develop the
vacant area of the site for residential units.




7.     PREVIOUS APPROVAL

An application for a motel was approved for the vacant portion of the subject land by
Noosa Council on 15' July, 2004.

The motel included 21 accommodation units with access off Opal Street.




8.     DEMAND FOR OPEN SPACE & COMMUNITY LAND

Cooroy and the surrounding area has a population of approximately 3,000 and
contains facilities that cater for cricket, gymnastics, football, pony club, swimming,
fitness, golf, bowls, tennis, badminton, archery, cycling and other sports; together