MCU14/0106 & OPW15/0001 Information Request Response Report (absent appendices)

                                                                                                       Noosa Civic Expansion
                         28 Eenie Creek Road, Noosaville and parts of the road reserves of Hofmann Drive and Walter Hay Drive




6           Bushfire Management
6.1         Bushfire
            “The Bushfire Assessment report applies a medium bushfire hazard level, which is considered to
            underestimate the likely bushfire risk. A vegetation hazard score of 10 ought to be used, given
            the state of the vegetation, the fuel loads available, and the sites existing and continuing proximity
            to larger areas of highly flammable and hazardous vegetation to the east and south.
            The Assessment’s statement that the development will reduce the overall bushfire hazard within
            the locality may be relevant to the existing development but is not relevant to the new
            development.
            The suggestion that the completion of Hofmann Drive will assist with reducing the level of bushfire
            risk is not supported in the report. The report fails to acknowledge a significant portion of Hofmann
            Drive abuts areas of hazardous vegetation that may restrict the safe traffic movement of traffic
            due to smoke or flame hazards in the event of bushfire.
            The report does not indicate that a fire management plan is required.

            Information Required:
            56   An amended Bushfire Assessment addressing the following:
                 (a) An assessment of the Potential Bushfire Intensity likely to affect the proposed
                     development using the methodology contained in the State Planning Policy,
                     released in December 2013. The assessment of the Potential Bushfire Intensity
                     should take into account the site connectivity to larger areas of hazardous
                     vegetation such as Noosa National Park, vegetation along Eenie Creek, Vegetation
                     within the Noosa Airport and open space dedicated to Council as part of the Noosa
                     Business Centre.
                 (b) Depending on the levels of Potential Bushfire Intensity determined for the site and
                     the surrounding area, a set of bushfire hazard mitigation and management actions
                     be proposed which address the determined potential bushfire intensity levels.
                     This may include a fire management plan or a bushfire mitigation plan.
                 (c) Provide further information with regard to the safe movement of vehicles along
                     existing and proposed roadways given their location to areas of retained
                     hazardous vegetation and where smoke and flame hazards might impact of
                     drivers.
                 (d) The bushfire mitigation plan may update or replace the bushfire management plan
                     (The Consultancy Bureau, 2004) which should include all areas within the Noosa
                     Business Centre site that may not be affected by the proposed development in
                     terms of vegetation clearing.
                 (e) Provide additional information on the proposed management of fuels within
                     Covenant area J as well as area identified in the Shire Business Centre (Map SBC)
                     as E2, E6, E7 and Covenant area L.”
            RESPONSE
            An amended Bushfire Assessment Report has been prepared by Cardno in response to the
            matters raised in Item 64 of the information request. Specifically, the amended Bushfire
            Assessment Report:
            (a) includes an assessment of potential bushfire intensity using the methodology contained in
                the State Planning Policy;



June 2015                                            Cardno HRP                                                           35