Strategic Offset Policy and Biodiversity Offset Guidelines · Attachment 2 - Noosa Biodiversity Offset Guideline Final

ORGANISATIONAL GUIDELINE - Biodiversity Offsets


Offset Delivery Plans supported by allocated funding will guide Council’s delivery of direct offsets
and other prioritised biodiversity conservation actions. Financial agreements, Offset Delivery Plans
and monitoring reports will be prepared to the satisfaction of the Director of Strategy and
Environment to ensure offsets achieve the required conservation outcome.
Council will not externalise biodiversity offsets requirements, including financial offset agreements
with the State Government for MSES matters of the Commonwealth Government for MNES
matters, except in extenuating circumstances. Exceptions may apply where:
            o   Critical infrastructure failures require urgent rectification; or
            o   No suitable offsets are available within the Council area after consultation with
                Council’s Director of Strategy and Environment.

Third-party Agency Driven Offsets
Council may offer offset receiving sites to other agencies undertaking infrastructure and development
within Noosa Shire by way of suitably costed financial contributions, an offset delivery plan and a
monitoring plan. This can occur once the MNES, MNES and MLES assessment process has been
undertaken by the relevant agency and offset requirements have been determined.
Where the offset is being delivered on behalf of an external third-party entity as a condition of
Commonwealth or State legislative approvals, or as a Voluntary Biodiversity Offset, Council will
consider applying, where appropriate, the offset delivery as either:
    1. A proponent-driven offset, where Council delivers the offset on behalf of the proponent as
       agreed in the proponent’s offset delivery plan
    2. A financial settlement offset where Council will enter into a financial agreement with the
       proponent with funding being dedicated to achieving the offset requirement and targets
       outlined in Council’s current Environment Strategy and supporting plans, negotiated in
       partnership with the Third-party Agency
    3. A combination offset where Council will deliver the offset requirement that is part proponent-
       driven and part financial settlement offset
    4. A direct benefit management plan where Council will deliver and/or collaborate with
       stakeholders to provide benefits for prescribed environmental matters
    5. An advanced offset where Council will make available suitable sites which contain matters
       of environmental significance to compensate for a future significant residual impact on one
       or more prescribed environmental matters.
To the satisfaction and endorsement of the Director of Strategy and Environment, financial
agreements, offset delivery plans and monitoring reports will be developed that will allow for offsets
to achieve the required conservation outcome.
Where possible, a Land-use Compensation Allocation relevant to the area of land made available
for a Third-Party Agency area-based (not including individual threatened plant offsets) offset is to be
sought from the proponent as part of the financial offset contract. Funds raised as a result of Land-
use Compensation Allocations will be directed to future land acquisition activities in accordance with
the Noosa Environment Levy Policy 2020.


Assessment of Impacts
Assessment of impacts on MNES, MSES or MLES matters and State Government generated
projects under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971, Fisheries Act 1994
or other applicable legislation, are outside the scope of this assessment guidance and are subject to
the relevant legislation, policies and guidelines governing the matters.


Offset Receiving Sites
Council will identify suitable land within its conservation estate OR look to secure or acquire land
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