2016-12-12 General Committee - Attachment 1 to Item 6 - Biodiversity Assessment Report

                                                                     Noosa Biodiversity Plan – Biodiversity Assessment Report




                               250


                               200
   Clearing rate / year (ha)




                               150


                               100


                                50


                                 0




                                        Mining   Crop   Thinning   Infrastructure   Settlement   Forestry   Pasture


Figure 25: Annual clearing rates in Noosa Shire by land use 2003 - 2013

                               4.3.1   Urban areas
Noosa has areas of concentrated urban development from Peregian north along the coastal dune strip
and along the Noosa River flood plain to Tewantin. Approximately 42.5 % of the Shire’s population lives
and works in this area (AEC group, 2015). In contrast, the coastal strip north of the Noosa River is very
sparsely settled and over 93% (9240 hectares) of land in the North Shore is managed for conservation,
and is either in public ownership or managed in trust (AEC group, 2015).

The Noosa Shire population is predicted to grow steadily over the next 10 years and beyond with
estimates in the order of 7,000 people entering the shire between 2016 and 2036. This is a 12% increase.
However, overall Noosa’s annual population growth is slowing (AEC group, 2015). During the 1980’s
population growth in Noosa was at 16.5%, which dropped down to 5.1% in the mid 1990’s. At present,
population growth has significantly slowed to 1.3% (AEC group, 2015).

In 2013 – 2014, the number of residential building approvals for the Noosa Shire was lower compared to
the broader SEQ region. Major planning approvals submitted in 2014 were associated with retail,
industrial and commercial development rather than large residential communities (AEC group, 2015).

At present, approximately 9% of the Noosa Shire has an urban zoning designation. Further residential
growth in Noosa will be sustained within existing urban areas, with the remaining future development to
be taken up as infill development within these areas. Whilst impacts on biodiversity can be significantly
high due to the intensity of development that occurs and legislative exemptions that apply to this zoning
designation, the coverage of the area is minimal across Noosa.




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