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

 Matters Raised                                       Comments
                                                      obtain approvals pursuant to the Aboriginal
                                                      Cultural Heritage Act 2003.

Submissions in Support of the Development

  Matters Raised                                       Comments

  Residential Amenity                                  It is acknowledged that additional short-term
                                                       accommodation has the ability to result in
  •   Unlike the issues currently raised by some
                                                       economic benefits to the area, however the
      around Air BNBs, this has no impact on the
                                                       proposal is considered an overdevelopment of
      residential amenity. In fact, I believe most
                                                       the site which will result in negative impacts on
      resort guest are from Victoria, our highest
                                                       the environmental values of the area. The
      spending tourists and most do not bring or
                                                       applicant has failed to demonstrate that the
      use vehicles, rather using the resort bus or
                                                       development will result in an overwhelming
      onsite electric cars and escooters to
                                                       community benefit, to allow support of the
      explore the region
                                                       proposal despite conflicting with the
                                                       requirements of the planning scheme.

  Koala Habitat                                        It is acknowledged that the applicant has
                                                       carried out substantial work to ensure the
  •   Expert advice and support has been
                                                       impacts of the development are limited where
      provided by koala habitat experts,
                                                       possible, however the proposal includes
      ecologist and arborists
                                                       development within a mapped koala habitat
  •   The remaining 20 per cent of the area will       area, requiring the removal of koala feed
      be converted into 16 elevated, light weight      trees, which is contrary to the environmental
      and connected boardwalk, also provides           outcomes of the planning scheme.
      for koala movement through the site.

  Improvement on Current Situation                     The subject site has not been maintained by
                                                       the current owners, with little to no pest
  •   Limited development sustainably placed
                                                       management having been undertaken on site
      on 20% of the land (while rehabilitating the
                                                       in recent years resulting in invasive pest
      other 80%) and ongoing management of
                                                       species infiltrating the site and causing
      the site is the best outcome for Koalas
                                                       damage to the natural environment. Although
      compared to doing nothing.
                                                       it is acknowledged that the proposal would
  •   If left in its current state, the area will      result in substantial rehabilitation works being
      continue to degrade with the existing trees      carried out onsite, it is the responsibility of the
      being engulfed by the invasive vine.             property owner to carry out ongoing
      Further, the north-south avenue for              maintenance       and       pest    management
      movement of koalas through the site will         regardless of any development approvals
      diminish or be lost. Because the land is to      issued on a site.
      be amalgamated and form part of the
      RACV Noosa Resort, the ongoing                   Council’s Local Law 3 (Community and
      maintenance of the site will be properly         Environmental Management) 2015 regulates
      funded and sustained in the long term.           the control of pests (including plant species)
      RACV Noosa Resort has Silver Earth               and overgrown and unsightly allotments. As
      Check Accreditation, the world’s leading         such, there are mechanisms under the Local
      scientific benchmarking certification and        Law to allow Council to require the landowner
      advisory group for sustainable travel and        to take specified actions to control declared
      tourism and takes a leadership role in           local pests on the lot.
      sustainability.
  •   The habitat area of the site has been
      overtaken by weeds, particularly an
      invasive vine. This vine is threatening the
      existing koala habitat by strangling the tree
      canopy and hindering their movement
      through the site.

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