Environment Management Plan Stage 2_Grasstree Court July 2021

Ecological Management Plan – Grasstree Court – Lot 9


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 (Minor Change Lot 6). The
development is to proceed in a staged approach with Lot 6 (as stage 1) followed by Lot 9 as stages 2, 3 and 4.
Council has approved the EMP for Stage 1 Lot 6 (February 2021). FIGURE 2 illustrates the Approved Staged
Development and FIGURE 3 the Staged Clearing Plan. There are no other changes that adversely alter the
vegetation clearing, fauna management or rehabilitation actions. 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.

1.2 Purpose of the Plan
The overall purpose of the plan is to implement the approval conditions 12-20 provided by Council (and the
State) in order to minimise impacts to ecological values, where possible. The plan (as per the approval
conditions) aims to address recognised ecological and restoration principals.




     1
         i.e. the Stage 1 2021 EMP.
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