MCU22/0118 – DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION FOR A MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE – SHORT-TERM ACCOMMODATION AT 94 & 142 NOOSA DR, NOOSA HEADS (Referred from Planning & Environment Committee dated 7 November 2023 - Item 5.1) · ATTACHMENT 1 – OFFICER’S REPORT

     (d)     Ecological linkages and riparian vegetation are conserved, managed, enhanced and
             rehabilitated to protect and improve biodiversity, ecosystem health, landscape stability
             and resilience.
     (e)     Development design and layout provides for the protection and establishment of
             appropriate buffers to waterways, wetlands, native vegetation and significant fauna
             habitat.
     (f)     The terrestrial and aquatic native flora and fauna and their habitats are protected and
             enhanced.
     (g)     Development and its associated landscaping provides for the rehabilitation of
             ecologically important areas, degraded ecosystems and habitats to achieve a
             functional and healthy ecosystem state that requires minimal human intervention.
     (h)     Development is designed, sited, constructed and operated to avoid or minimise
             adverse impacts on koalas and their habitat and to provide for connectivity and safety
             for the long term viability of the koala population.
     (i)     In urban areas, biodiversity values are protected and enhanced to assist with
             ecosystem health, flora and fauna, urban amenity and quality of life.
As part of the application material, the applicant has provided an Ecology Report and Koala Impact
Assessment addressing the environmental requirements under Noosa Plan 2020, and has
provided the following comments in relation to the Biodiversity, waterway and wetlands overlay
code:
     ‘…it is considered the proposed development meets the overall outcomes of the Biodiversity,
     waterway and wetlands overlay code for the following reasons:
     •     the development seeks to protect and enhance ecological important areas by removing
           the invasive weed species, protecting koala habitat, and managing the site as an ongoing
           concern (a);
     •     the development has been designed, sited and will be constructed and operated in a way
           that minimises adverse impacts of ecological important areas (b);
     •     the development’s design and layout provides for connectivity across the landscape
           through protection, rehabilitation and enhancement of native vegetation (c);
     •     the development will maintain the ecological linkage through the site and significant koala
           habitat (d); and
     •     the development and its associated landscaping will provide for the rehabilitation of this
           ecological important area (g).
     While the subject land is heavily degraded and lacking a native under (and mid) storey, the
     land supports ecological values in so far as native canopy trees exist (albeit are infested with
     the vine) and the land is adjacent to an open space area. Further, the proposed low-impact
     eco-style development achieves an acceptable balance by integrating the villas with the
     ecological values of the landscape. The project also has the ability to enhance the local (and
     surrounding) ecological values, would not compromise the intent or relevant assessment
     benchmarks of the Noosa Plan and could be approved with reasonable and relevant
     conditions. Where necessary and relevant, offsets could be applied as a condition of
     approval.
The applicant also advised that a range of mitigation measures can be implemented during and
post development that will reduce environmental impacts and improve ecological values.
The following assessment outlines non-compliance with the above overall outcomes sought for the
Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay Code.


Ecology and Vegetation Clearing
The subject site is mapped as containing Areas of Biodiversity Significance and MSES
Environmental Values under the Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay.
The development layout has a disturbance footprint of approximately 1797m². The application
material indicates post development will include the rehabilitation and revegetation of the site in
amongst the cabins, equating to approximately 3043m2. It is noted that under the State government
approval, the entirety of the undeveloped area (ie anything outside the building and walkway
footprint) would be required to be protected via a vegetation protection covenant.

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