2018-12-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                11 DECEMBER 2018


5.   CONSULTATION
5.1. Referrals
The application was forwarded to the following internal Council specialists:
   Principal Strategic Planner
   Ecologist
   Project Coordinator – Flooding, Coastal and Foreshores
   Project Coordinator – Climate Change Adaptation
Their assessment forms part of this report
6.   CONCLUSION & REASONS FOR DECISION
The 15m Coastal Building Line setback allows for the natural landscape to be the first line of storm
protection and buffering. Providing the maximum buffer from the sea will ensure that future
development is more resilient to coastal erosion and sea level rise as climate change effects arise.
Furthermore, the 15m setback preserves the integrity and structure of the frontal dune for longer
in the face of increased storm frequency, intensity and erosion without the need for coastal
protection works.
The proposed 6m setback does not provide sufficient natural landscape buffering in this highly
vulnerable erosion prone area. The 6m setback does not minimise the risk to erosion and allows
for potential impacts on and interference with coastal processes.
The subject property and surrounding properties are within a Coastal Management District, an
Erosion Prone Area and affected by the Coastal Building Line. Repealed policy and past
assessment has resulted in development forward of the Coastal Building Line. However, new
knowledge about coastal erosion including new erosion prone area modelling in accordance with
State guidelines, highlights the need to take a strong position in ensuring that development does
not encroach seaward of the Coastal Building Line to minimise risk to hazards.
The development is not in accordance with the relevant statutory planning instruments including
The Noosa Plan’s Biodiversity Overlay Code, Natural Resources Overlay Code for Coastal
Protection and the superseded Noosa Planning Scheme. The proposal raises significant planning
concerns and is recommended for refusal for the following reasons:
1.   The proposal does not comply with the Planning Scheme in force at the time of the original
     approval, given the extent of excavation and vegetation removal.
2    The proposal does not comply with the Natural Resources Overlay Code for Coastal
     Protection as it has the potential to adversely impact on natural coastal processes.
3    Given the site is affected by the Coastal Building Line and is located in a highly vulnerable
     erosion prone area, the proposed 6m setback is not sufficient to minimise the risk of erosion.
4.   The proposal does not comply with the Biodiversity Overlay Code as vegetation is proposed
     to be removed within the Environmental Protection Overlay placing the integrity and
     resilience of the foreshore at risk.




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