MCU23/0096 Application For Material Change Of Use For Educational Establishment (Extension To Existing - Performing Arts Building) And Preliminary Approval For A Master Plan At 115 Eumundi Noosa Rd, Noosaville · Attachment 2 – MCU23-0096 – Coordinator Planning Report

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                            Figure 1 – Locality




                            Figure 2 – Site Plan

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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT   8TH OCTOBER 2024

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                           Figure 3 – Floor Plans




                           Figure 4 – Elevations

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                    Figure 5 – Perspectives from Walter Hay Drive




                               Figure 6 – Master Plan

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2.    SITE DETAILS
2.1. Background
Application History
The application was lodged on 26 July 2023 and an information request sent on 23 August 2023
requesting further details relating to existing student numbers as well as a landscape plan,
amended drawings reducing the building height and gross floor area, a revised traffic report
addressing car parking and the impacts on the road network, additional stormwater documentation
and the requirements of the Sustainable Building Design Code. Preliminary construction and traffic
management plans were also requested given the site is in a sensitive location with regards to
traffic and car parking.
The applicant responded to the information request on 21 March 2024 which included amended
plans, lowering the height of the building and setting the building back further from the internal
driveway to incorporate some landscaping to the frontage. The response also included a request
to include a preliminary approval for a Master Plan as well as cancellation of MCU20/0072 which
related to an approval for demountable buildings and a deed of agreement for carparking works.
Further advice to the applicant was provided on 18 June 2024 regarding the use of the performing
arts centre for non-school activities, building height, gross floor area as well as potential traffic
impacts and parking.
The applicant responded on 22 July 2024, lowering the building height and providing responses to
the other matters raised which form part of the assessment of this application.
History of Development Approvals
A number of development applications exist over the site. An overview of the site history is included
below.

 Development Applications

 MCU20/0072       Extension to Educational Establishment – demountable buildings
                  with central car park area (Approval recently cancelled)

 MCU18/0097       Education Type 2 School (Car park)

 MCU17/0073       Wellbeing Type 3 Worship

 05/0355          Change to Existing Approval – new temporary administration
                  building and classroom

 REC15/0022       Reconfiguration of a lot

 07/1466          Education Type 1 - Childcare

 05/0355          Change Relevant Period, Change to Development Approval,
                  Condition to a Condition of Approval

 05/0355          Extension to Educational Establishment

 23134 DA         Educational Establishment, Place of Worship & Industrial Uses
                  with Staged Lot Reconfiguration

2.2. Site Description
The site has a total area of 6.17ha and is currently occupied by Good Shepherd Lutheran College
and a childcare centre. The site has road frontage to Eumundi Noosa Road and Walter Hay Drive.

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The school has developed over the years without an approved master plan in place with various
development applications submitted as the school expanded.
2.3. Surrounding Land Uses
The site is located in Noosaville and surrounded by industrial, residential, community and open
space recreation land uses. Land directly adjoining the site to the northwest is owned by Energex
Limited with an Energex substation constructed on the lot.
3.   ASSESSMENT
3.1. Instruments for Statutory Assessment
Under the Planning Act 2016 the application must be assessed against each of the following
statutory planning instruments to the extent they are relevant to the development:
•    State Planning Policy;
•    South East Queensland Regional Plan;
•    Planning Regulation 2017;
•    Noosa Plan 2020.
3.2. State and Other Statutory Instruments
State Planning Policy
The Noosa Plan 2020 is generally consistent with the State Planning Policy July 2017 (SPP), apart
from coastal hazard requirements. The SPP raises no further issues relevant to the proposed
development.
South East Queensland (SEQ) Regional Plan
The site is located within the Urban Footprint of the SEQ Regional Plan. The proposal is consistent
with the regional policies of the SEQ Regional Plan.
Planning Regulation 2017
The proposal is for urban activity within the Urban Footprint and is consistent with the assessment
benchmarks contained in the Planning Regulation 2017 for the SEQ Region.
3.3. Statutory Instruments – Planning Scheme
The subject site is located in the Noosaville Locality and is zoned Community Facilities and
annotated for an educational establishment. The proposed use is identified as a consistent use
with the zone and is required to follow a code assessable application process.
The application must be assessed against each of the following codes to the extent they are
relevant to the development:
•    Noosaville Local Plan Code
•    Community Facilities Zone Code;
•    Acid Sulfate Soils Overlay Code; and
•    Works Codes.
3.3.1 Noosaville Local Plan Code
The Noosaville Local Plan area is intended to “..maintain its role for both the provision of much of
the commercial, retail, administrative, industrial and social needs of the coastal urban portion of
Noosa Shire and as a major focus area for visitor accommodation and services.” The purpose and
overall outcomes of the code further details that development in the Community facilities zone is

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to provide facilities and services that support Noosaville and the broader shire and include
educational facilities.
Development in the area is to be designed and sited “…to respond to the relatively flat topography
of Noosaville by creating visual interest and differentiation in built form through design and the
application of
•     a range of textures, colours, styles and finishes;
•     a range of architectural elements within the context of a sub-tropical architectural theme;
•     varied roof heights, that cumulatively make a positive contribution to an interesting skyline
•     varied setbacks which create opportunities for both landscaping and design variety
•     retention of mature trees and provision of new landscaping which create attractive spaces
      between buildings.”
The proposed performing arts centre supports the continued role of the Noosaville Local Plan area,
with the built form of a scale and height generally comparable with existing buildings within the
school and permitted within the nearby industrial zone of 10m. The building is also consistent with
the existing health & physical education building that was approved in 2005 with a floor area of
1200m2 and height of 11.985m to its peak. The industrial building on the corner of Walter Hay
Drive and Eumundi Noosa Road has a floor area of 2239m2 (excluding the service station and
takeaway shop) and is up to 10m high facing Walter Hay Drive.
The proposed building includes a varied and articulated roof form with 5 degree roof pitches and
incorporates a mix of lightweight and textured external building materials. The sloping eastern roof
form and articulation of the Walter Hay Drive facade gives the appearance of it stepping down
across the frontage of the site with the mass of the building extending into the centre of the site.
While the building’s mass and height are prominent, the building is well articulated, with texture
and detailing incorporated into the façade and wide roof overhangs in areas creating some interest.
The buildings setback at 40 metres from the Walter Hay frontage and existing vegetation will also
assist in providing a landscaped setting for the building.
3.3.2 Community Facilities Zone Code
The site is zoned Community Facilities and identified for an educational establishment reflective of
the current use of the land. The proposed performing arts centre is proposed primarily for the use
of the school consistent with the zoning intent. The proposal meets many of the Acceptable
Outcomes of the Code, apart from those detailed in the table below:

    Noosa Plan                                              Proposal response

    AO17.1 building height – 8m                             10.64m natural ground and 11m from
                                                            finished level

    AO18.1 gross floor area of an individual building not to 1692m2
    exceed 1000m2

    AO18.2 maximum length of wall in one plane is 30m       40m

These matters are discussed below:
Building Height
The Community Facilities Zone Code details the following Performance Outcome and Acceptable
Outcomes for height:
PO17 Buildings and other structures:
are low rise and have a visual bulk and architectural scale consistent with the character of the area;

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      a) do not visually dominate the street and surrounding spaces;
      b) preserve the amenity of surrounding development including privacy, views and access to
         sunlight to residential dwellings;
      c) respect the scale of the surrounding vegetation, maintaining a vegetated skyline; and
      d) have a maximum building height of two storeys.
AO17.1 Within urban boundaries buildings and other structures are no more than 8 metres in
building height.
AO17.3 Where excavation is required, the maximum portion of the exposed external façade of the
building cannot exceed 8 metres in building height.
The proposed building is 2 storeys, 10.64m in height above natural ground level and 11m from the
finished ground level. As indicated by the sections below, the front façade of the building complies
with height requirements with the western section of the building stepping back up into the site and
exceeding height over the area where the drama and dance studios are located. These areas
require greater height due to the lighting and seating requirements.




                       Figure 7 – Sections illustrating areas of building over height

In support of the proposed building height the applicant submits the following:
•   It is not possible to provide a properly constructed Performing Arts Centre (PAC) within the site
    to meet the needs of the GSLC in an alternative location or having a reduced building height.

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    This is because of the limited amount of available space at the GSLC and the specific design
    requirements for this type of building.
•   The specific design requirements relate to the provision of lighting for the stage area and to
    create the necessary acoustic environment for the PAC to function properly
•   The development will have a visual bulk and architectural scale consistent with the existing
    character of the area.
•   The proposed PAC is located about 40m from the Walter Hay Drive frontage and is screened
    by landscaping so as to not visually dominate the street or surrounding spaces.
•   The proposed PAC is centrally located within the site and well removed from any residential
    premises and will not cause any adverse impacts from overshadowing or access to sunlight.
•   The PAC respects the scale of the vegetation about the site when considering the view lines
    at ground level. The proposed PAC is lower in height than the existing Sports Hall (Building K)
    by about 1.450m.
The applicant’s submission is generally supported as the proposed building height is consistent
with surrounding buildings including the adjoining health & physical education building (Sports Hall)
approved at 11.985m and the industrial building opposite the site which is at 10m.
It is further recognised that buildings of this type, which are designed to be functional for their
intended use, generally result in a large footprint and are likely to be of a significant height. Notably,
the Plans of Development (POD) for both the Noosa Christian College and St Teresa’s Catholic
College include allowances for buildings to exceed 8 metres. The POD for the Noosa Christian
College permits a maximum height of 10 metres for a multi-purpose building whilst the POD for St
Teresa’s Christian College permits a maximum building height of 9 metres.
These provisions within the respective POD’s recognise the scale of buildings required to provide
the specific functionality within these educational establishments noting the need for the buildings
to able to accommodate a significant number of students at any one time. Furthermore it is
considered that despite the buildings height, it will comply with the corresponding Performance
Outcome as it will not visually dominate the street and surrounding spaces, impact on the amenity
of surrounding development, can be screened by existing and newly planted vegetation and does
not exceed two storeys.
To further soften the built form, additional landscaping across the frontage of the building has been
included as part of conditions of approval.
The applicant’s photomontages demonstrate the proposed performing arts centre will not
adversely impact the streetscape and when viewed from Shorehaven Park.




                         Figure 8 - Photomontage 1 – View from Shorehaven Park

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                    Figure 9 - Photomontage 3 – View south on Eumundi Noosa Road

Gross Floor Area & Building Bulk
The Community Facilities Zone Code details the following Performance Outcome and Acceptable
Outcomes for bulk and scale:
PO18 Buildings and other structures:
      a) are fit for purpose and respect the scale of surrounding development;
      b) do not present an appearance of bulk to adjacent properties, roads or other areas in the
         vicinity of the site;
      c) maintains natural site characteristics where possible, including native vegetation and
         natural landforms;
      d) allows for adequate area at ground level for landscaping and site facilities; and
      e) facilitates onsite stormwater management and vehicular access.
AO18.1 Individual buildings do not exceed gross floor area of 1,000m²
AO18.2The maximum length of wall in one plane is 30 metres.
AO18.3 No more than 50% of the site is covered by buildings or roofed structures.
The proposed building has a gross floor area of 1692m2 and a maximum wall length of 40m, with
the entire school having a site cover of approximately 26%. The applicant submits that the building
needs to be this size to meet the needs of the school and that the proposed centre meets
Performance Outcome PO18 as the centre:
•   Will be fit for purpose and will respect the scale of surrounding development
•   Will not present an appearance of building bulk to adjacent properties, roads, or the adjoining
    Shorehaven Park, which will be further improved by the additional landscaping being proposed
•   Will maintain the natural site characteristics, including some native vegetation
•   Allows for adequate area at ground level for landscaping; and
•   Facilities stormwater management in accordance with the Stormwater Management Plan
    already provided by TOD Consulting Engineers.
The intent of these outcomes is to ensure that development is of a scale and appearance that is
compatible with existing and intended development in the area. The northern portion of the school
site backs onto residential development and it anticipated that future development adjacent to
these areas would maintain a smaller domestic scale whilst the southern portion (where the PAC
is to be located) is in an area that overlooks industrial development. These industrial buildings

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generally have a substantial building footprint, lengths of wall and building height. Further the
applicant indicates that the location of the PAC has been based on the limited undeveloped land
on site, maintenance of existing recreational spaces and well as the maintenance of pedestrian
safety through the site.
The applicant submits that the proposed PAC has specific design requirements relating to the
construction of a state-of-the-art facility for the school. In particular lighting, acoustic, stage rigging,
retractable seating all requires sufficient room to function as well as being economically feasible
which has led to the building location and size.
The applicant’s submission is supported noting that the building has been designed specifically as
a performing art centre and that there are existing buildings on site and to the south that have a
similar scale.
3.3.3 Acid Sulfate Soils
The site is located within Area 2 of the Acid Sulfate Soils Overlay. The proposed development will
not involve excavation of 100m³ or more at or below 5m AHD and therefore in accordance with
Table 5.9.1 of the Planning Scheme is not assessable against the Acid sulfate soils overlay code.
3.3.4 Works Codes
Carparking
The site has been the subject of a number of approvals including MCU18/0097 for an Education
Type 2 School (carpark). This application dealt with the proposal to construct a carpark on the
corner of Eumundi Noosa Road and Walter Hay Drive and as part of the approval Council resolved
to:
“Advise the applicant that any proposed layout (as indicated in the submitted masterplan –
Attachment 3) which seeks to move the primary vehicle access to the site from the Goodchap
Street roundabout to Walter Hay Drive and fails to provide an appropriate internal link between the
existing and proposed car park areas, is considered to result in a highly undesirable traffic outcome
and is unlikely to be supported by Council as a result.”
The application has been reviewed by Councils external traffic consultant who concludes:
Overall, the proposal represents a positive outcome from a traffic engineering perspective,
compared with what is currently approved. Ideally, there would be a one-way linkage from the staff
carpark to the northern parking area of the campus, to enable staff to exit via the Goodchap Street
roundabout, but the 2022 surveys indicate that the positive impacts of such an outcome, while
beneficial, would not be sufficient to pursue that outcome unless it was proposed to use the staff
carpark for other than staff usage at school pick-up and drop-off times.
It is noted that Councils traffic consultant considers the Goodchap Street access as being the most
appropriate access point as it enables traffic using that access to travel to/from the campus in any
direction without circulating through the busy Eenie Creek /Walter Hay Drive roundabout.
The staff carpark has a boom gate and is only used by teachers. The proposed reconfiguration of
the set down and carpark area accessed from Goodchap Street and increase in spaces is
considered an improvement and is supported.
In accordance with the current requirements carparking 189 spaces are to be provided on site
based on the following rates:
          •   one space per employee; and
          •   one space per 30 students; and
          •   separate set down area/s for cars and buses
The applicant proposes a total of 298 spaces based on 1150 students and 150 equivalent full-time
staff along with 16 spaces for drop off and pick up and a further queuing for 8 spaces.

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Conditions confirming a maximum number of students and teachers as well as construction of the
set down area are recommended to be included as part of any approval.
Stormwater
Council engaged an external consultant to review stormwater elements of the development. The
consultant was supportive of the proposal and has recommended conditions be imposed.
Landscaping
The applicant has provided a landscape concept plan that includes infill landscaping around the
perimeter of the building with large trees that will screen and soften the built form. The site is also
well screened when viewed from Eumundi Noosa Road and Walter Hay Drive due to the existing
landscaping that exists on these frontages. Councils Senior Environment Officer notes:
The proposal includes permeable pavement throughout the new entry precinct to support the
structural landscape elements provided for advanced plantings with structural soil and permeable
grates. The species chosen for the advanced plantings is Livistonia australis, which is generally
not supported when utilised in a sentinel like formation. A substitution of this species to Corymbia
tessellaris has been conditioned.
Limited space is available to provide any further additional landscaping unless a reduction in the
size of the building is accepted. There is however an underutilised area behind the bus pick up and
drop off area that could accept some further large trees to soften the built form when viewed from
the internal car park.
The application material includes additional landscaping that assists in the amenity and screening
of the existing tennis courts when viewed from Walter Hay Drive, as well as additional shade trees
to the local footpath along the south eastern boundary of Lot 0 100SP290665.
Conditions are recommended to be included as part of any approval.
3.3.5 Master Plan
The applicant has provided a Master Plan for the site which does not intend to change the level of
assessment of future development. The Master Plan provides a plan that maps out the removal
and construction of new buildings for the next 10 years. A number of new buildings are proposed
on the site however these are not new teaching rooms rather refurbishment or upgrades of existing
facilities such as administration, student services and existing classrooms. The Master Plan is
supported as it sets out a maximum number of children and staff for the site as well as carparking
numbers.
4.     CONSULTATION
4.1. Referral Agencies
The application was referred to the following Referral Agencies:
•      Energex Limited
Energex Limited are an advice agency as the subject site adjoins the Energex substation. Energex
Limited advised on 15 August 2023 that it has no requirements in relation to the application.
4.2. Internal Council Referrals
The application was forwarded to the following internal Council officers:
•      Development Engineer
The application was also referred to PSA Consulting (Australia) to provide an assessment of car
parking and traffic matters for Council.

     • Senior Environment Officer

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4.3. External Referrals
     • Traffic engineer
     • Hydraulic engineer
4.4. Public Notification
The application is not required to be publicly notified under the Planning Act 2016 as it is subject
to code assessment.
5.     CONCLUSION & REASONS FOR DECISION
This application seeks approval to construct a new Performance Arts Centre within the Good
Shepherd Lutheran College. The proposed centre will complement the existing facilities on site
and is not intended to increase enrolments.
The Performing Arts Centre does not comply with scheme requirements in relation to gross floor
area and height requirements of 8 metres. The Noosa Plan details a maximum gross floor area of
1000m2 for individual building in the zone with the applicant proposing a gross floor area of 1692m2.
The applicant has satisfactorily demonstrated that the building has been specifically designed for
the proposed use and respects the surrounding development with the building well setback from
street frontages and steps down the site which minimises the presentation to the boundaries.
The height of the building at 11.64 metres exceeds the acceptable outcome of 8 metres however
the applicant has demonstrated that the building is of a scale compatible with the surrounding area
noting that the adjoining existing Sports Hall has an approved height of 11.9 metres.
As part of the proposal, the applicant proposes upgrades to the existing Goodchap Street entry car
park and will increase the current Goodchap Street entry car park from 58 to 81 spaces and provide
for 16 drop off/pick up bays. Councils external traffic consultant has indicated support for the
revised layout.
The applicant is recommended for approval subject to conditions.