2022-10-11 Planning & Environment Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT                                    11 OCTOBER 2022


3     The existing Fire Management Plan – Settlers Cove (WMC Oceanics, dated 5 July 2005) is
      now some years old and is now not contemporaneous with the current bushfire hazard
      mapping methodology or mapping.
4     The superseded Noosa Plan Bushfire Hazard Overlay Map mapped a polygon of Medium
      bushfire hazard over the development area but not the waterway corridor.
5     The latest Noosa Plan bushfire hazard overlay mapping identifies area of medium potential
      bushfire intensity over the site and part of the waterway corridor to the south.
6     The latest SPP Natural hazards, Risk and Resilience Bushfire hazard mapping maps a
      polygon of high potential bushfire intensity over the development footprint and the adjacent
      waterway corridor to the south.
7     The approved Bushfire Management Plan requires hand removal of fuel from within the now
      Council parkland and as such, now, this is not practical or reasonable and places a potential
      unreasonable impost on the rates payers of Noosa Council.
8     I would note that generally, the responsibility for bushfire mitigation is the responsibility of the
      occupier or a property and not the adjoining neighbour even if that adjoining owner is a State
      or Local Government.
9     Further, while there are some recommendations with respect to Landscaping plantings in the
      2005 WBM BMP, these would need to be revisited to ensure that an updated Landscape
      plan provides additional mitigation to a vegetation fire which may threaten the sites from a
      fire within the adjoining Council reserve and Parkland.
      Therefore, it is my opinion based on a review of the current SPP bushfire hazard mapping, a
      site inspection, and a review of the WBM Bushfire Management Plan, that the Extension of
      Time Application cannot be approved as the current approved Bushfire Management Plan,
      potentially places future residents and buildings at an unreasonable level of risk as defined
      in the Bushfire Resilient Communities Natural Hazards, Risk and Resilience SPP Guide.
Traffic
The surrounding area has developed since the issue of the development approval for the site.
There are many residents within the area who may not be aware of the development and the
increased traffic that would result as a consequence of the development.
Preparation to Act
The approval was first granted in 2008 under the Superseded Planning Scheme and has been
extended twice. Whilst the site maintains similar use rights under the changes to the planning
schemes, no works have been undertaken on site to prepare it for the development and no
operational works lodged.
Community Awareness
The Noosa Plan 2020 details that the development of the site for a Resort Complex is a consistent
use that is required to follow an impact assessable process. The existing approval is 14 years old
and whilst the zoning and planning scheme maintain that Resort intent for the site, the current
community has not had any opportunity to comment on the proposal. Since approval the
surrounding area has experienced significant change through the construction of four new multi
storey unit developments along Serenity Close as well as the development of units and houses
along Grant Street. These additional developments combined with the change of ownership and
influx of residents to the area mean that the community has altered and may not be aware of the
development and its impact on the area. As such a significant portion of the current community has
not had the opportunity to review or comment on the development for a significant period and may
raise submissions about the proposed development.
It is noted that the site has no advertising or information sign on the property detailing that it may
be developed for a resort so that new residents would be aware of the proposal.


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