FINAL Ecological Management Plan Stage 1_Grasstree Court 5 February 2021

Ecological Management Plan – Grasstree Court – Lot 6


1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Subject Land and Approved Development
The subject land is located at land on Grasstree Court, Sunrise Beach and formally described as Lot 6
on RP901384 and Lot 9 on SP252905 (FIGURE 1 – Aerial of Subject Land).

On 20 December 2011, the Sunshine Coast Council (Council) approved a development application for
a Material Change of Use for Multiple Housing – Type 3 Retirement and Special Needs, Commercial
Business – Type 2 Medical and Wellbeing –Type 1 Health; and the Reconfiguring a Lot (1 into 2 lots).
The State (DERM) approved the development in June 2011.

The proposal will result in the residential aged care facility to be situated on Lot 6 (northern lot) and
a retirement facility to be situated on Lot 9 (southern lot) which includes independent living
apartments / units, and a community facility.

Minor Change 2019
A minor change amendment application was made to Noosa Shire Council (Council) in December
2018. The minor change does not result in change of approved uses but rather minor changes to
internal building layouts to meet current market expectations, industry standards and the existing
approval conditions. While the changes are considered to be ‘minor’, the changes improve the
development outcome in terms of design quality, reduced hardstand area, bushland and waterway
protection and bushfire safety Council granted approval of this change request on 28 March 2019
with updated set of conditions. Conditions relating to the ecological component (other than change
to Lot numbers) are unchanged from the original approval. The conditions (under #12) also state
that “The establishment of the vegetation offsets must be completed prior to the commencement of
the use of the first stage”.

Minor Change 2020
In November 2020 Council granted a minor change to stage the development (FIGURE 2 – Approved
Development Plan – Minor Change Lot 6). The development is to proceed in a staged approach with
Lot 6 (as stage 1) followed by Lot 9 at a later stage (FIGURE 3A – Approved Staged Development and
FIGURE 3B – Staged Clearing Plan). There are no other changes that adversely alter the vegetation
clearing, fauna management or rehabilitation actions. In accordance with the approval conditions,
the rehabilitation process will be implemented as part of Stage 1 and finalised when Lot 9 is cleared.
The staging approach has allowed some ecological enhancements, including staging of the clearing of
vegetation (and trees), and an improved rehabilitation strategy for the offset/rehabilitation site.

Relevant amended conditions (10 November 2020) associated with the Minor Change are 12.3.7 and
12.4, as follows:

All information must be prepared by a person with industry experience in the successful establishment
and/or re-establishment of heathland vegetation. Industry and educational institution involvement is
recommended.

The establishment of the vegetation offsets for each stage must be completed prior to the
commencement of the use for each stage. The Vegetation Clearing Offset program, required by these
conditions, must be implemented in a staged manner reflective of the approved staging of the
development. To this end separate Vegetation Clearing Offset programs must be developed to reflect
the staged delivery of the development, in particular the staged development of lot 6, and the
subsequent development of lot 9.

No clearing is permitted unless in accordance with the approved staged Vegetation Clearing Offset
program 1.

     1
         i.e. this 2021 EMP.
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