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Delegated Report - Code - Planning OPW25 0154 · OPW25/0154
DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT DELEGATED REPORT
Author Development Engineer, Felix Gough
Development Assessment
APPLICATION DETAILS
Application No. OPW25/0154
Applicant Georgina Elizabeth Bishop
Proposal Operational Works - Earthworks
Properly Made Date 29 August 2025
Information Request Date Not Applicable
Information Response Date Not Applicable
Decision Due Date 20/10/2025
Report Reviewed & Daniel Epps 07/10/2025
Finalised By
PROPERTY DETAILS
Property Address 7 Happy Jack Creek Rd Ridgewood Qld 4563
RP Description Lot 9 SP 337801
Land Area 215200.00 m²
Existing Use of Land Rural Residential
STATUTORY DETAILS
SEQRP Designation Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area
Zone Rural
Precinct Not applicable
Local Plan Area Not applicable
Overlays Agricultural Land, Biodiversity, Bushfire, Landslide Hazard
Assessment Type Code
1. PROPOSAL
The application seeks approval for Operational Works - Earthworks.
The locality and proposal plan are included below.
Document Set ID: 24149815
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Page 2
Figure 1 – Locality
Figure 2 – Site Plan
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Figure 3 – Earthworks Layout
2. ASSESSMENT
2.1. Instruments for Statutory Assessment
Under the Planning Act 2016 the application must be assessed against each of the following
statutory planning instruments to the extent they are relevant to the development:
• State Planning Policy;
• South East Queensland Regional Plan;
• Planning Regulation 2017; and
• Noosa Plan 2020 (25 September 2020).
2.2. Noosa Plan 2020
The following codes from the Noosa Plan 2020 are applicable to this development:
• Earthworks, Water Quality and Drainage Works Codes;
• Landslide Hazzard Overlay Code
The subject site is in Ridgewood and is zoned Rural. The proposed use is identified as a consistent
use within the zone and is required to follow a code assessable application process.
The application has been found to generally comply with all applicable statutory instruments. The
pertinent issues arising out of the assessment are discussed below:
Earthworks
The proposed earthworks are for the purpose of installing water tanks. Cuts greater than 1.5m are
proposed due to the natural sloping landform of the site. The works do not interfere with existing
vegetation or property and have been certified by an RPEQ.
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Landslide Hazzard Overlay
The site and development area are affected by the Landslide Hazzard Overlay. A01 of the
Landslide Hazzard Overlay requires a site-specific geotechnical assessment prepared by a
registered professional engineer to be provided to demonstrate the development is low or very low
risk. A geotechnical assessment has not been provided; a condition is to be applied to obtain prior
to works commencing.
3. CONSULTATION
3.1. Referral Agencies
Not Applicable
3.2. Internal Council Referrals
Not applicable
4. CONCLUSION & REASONS FOR DECISION
The proposed development generally complies with the requirements of the planning scheme and
does not raise any significant issues that cannot be addressed by reasonable and relevant
conditions. The application is therefore recommended for approval.
The report is provided in accordance with Section 63(5) of the Planning Act 2016.
RECOMMENDATION
With regard to Application No OPW25/0154 for Operational Works - Earthworks situated at 7
Happy Jack Creek Rd Ridgewood Qld 4563 and described as Lot 9 SP 337801, it is recommended
the application be approved in accordance with the following details for the Decision Notice:
1. APPLICATION DETAILS
Application No: OPW25/0154
Street address: 7 Happy Jack Creek Rd Ridgewood Qld 4563
Real property description: Lot 9 SP 337801
Planning Scheme: Noosa Plan 2020 (25 September 2020)
2. DECISION DETAILS
Council decided to issue the following type of approval:
• Development Permit for Operational Works - Earthworks
3. CURRENCY PERIOD OF APPROVAL
The currency period for this development approval is stated in the conditions below.
4. ASSESSMENT MANAGER CONDITIONS
APPROVED PLANS
1. Development undertaken in accordance with this approval must generally comply with the
approved plans of development. The approved plans are listed in the following table unless
otherwise amended by these conditions.
Plan No. Rev. Plan/Document Name Date
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531-001-100 A Site Layout Plan Prepared by Bax 10/06/2025
Engineering
Annotated by Council
531-001-200 A Earthworks Layout Plan Prepared by Bax 10/06/2025
Engineering
Annotated by Council
531-001-201 A Earthworks Sections Prepared by Bax 10/06/2025
Engineering
531-001-202 A Retaining Wall Details Prepared by Bax 10/06/2025
Engineering
CURRENCY PERIOD
2. The Currency Period for this development approval lapses if the development has not
substantially started by 08/10/2027 unless an application to extend the currency period is
approved by Council.
Site Specific Conditions
Landslide Hazard
3. All works must be carried out in accordance with a site-specific Geotechnical Report
prepared by a suitably qualified person*. The site-specific Geotechnical Report must
demonstrate a low or very low risk of global slope instability.
PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF WORKS
Engineering
4. Any changes to the details associated with the supervising RPEQ or Principal Contractor
during construction, must be notified to council in writing within five business days of the
change occurring.
5. Any conflict between the development and an existing or proposed service must be referred
to the relevant service authority for determination prior to commencement of works.
DURING CONSTRUCTION
Engineering
6. The developer must meet any costs to repair damage to any Council asset during
construction, where damage is a result of the development works. Damage to assets must
be repaired immediately where it creates a hazard to the community. In circumstances where
the damage does not create a hazard to the community, it must be repaired immediately on
completion of the works associated with the development.
7. All works must be supervised by a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ)
who is independent of the Developer and Principal Contractor, and they must certify that all
works conform to the Operational Works permit. Where municipal works are involved, such
confirmation must be submitted for the respective hold points prior to any site inspection by
Council Officers.
8. All works must be constructed and work procedure undertaken in accordance with:
a. The approved plans/documents and conditions detailed in this Decision Notice
b. All relevant Noosa Council Planning Scheme Policies, standard drawings, standard
specifications and guidelines
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c. The latest version of the Healthy Waterways document “Water Sensitive Urban Design
Technical Design Guidelines for South East Queensland” for all water quality devices
to be constructed on site
Earthworks and Retaining Walls
9. All earthworks shall be undertaken in accordance with the provisions of AS 3798 Guidelines
on Earthworks for Commercial and Residential Development.
10. All earthworks and associated batters/retaining structures, both above and below ground
level, both temporary and permanent, must be contained entirely within the subject site
unless written permission from the respective landowner(s) is provided to Council.
11. Fall protection must be provided to retaining walls that are over 1m high.
12. Slope and batters are a maximum grade of:
a. 1 in 6 where in proximity to waterbodies
b. 1 in 4 for grassed areas.
c. 1 in 3 for planted areas.
d. 1 in 2 for combined structural engineering and planting solutions.
Stormwater Drainage
13. Appropriate scour protection must be provided at the outlet of all stormwater pipes including
temporary outlets.
14. Works associated with this permit must not adversely impact on the existing drainage
conditions on other properties (eg by blocking or interfering with natural overland flows).
15. Construction of all internal stormwater drainage works must comply with the relevant
section/s of Australian Standard AS/NZS 3500.3.
16. Prior to the completion of the development, all site surfaces must be effectively stabilised
using methods which have achieved effective short-term stabilisation and which will continue
to achieve effective stabilisation in the medium- to long-term (refer to E&SC Advisory Notes).
For the purpose of this condition, an effectively stabilised surface is defined as one that does
not, or is not likely to result in visible evidence of soil loss caused by sheet, rill or gully erosion
or lead to sedimentation, or lead to water contamination.
Erosion and Sediment Control
17. Prescribed Water Contaminants (as defined in Schedule 10 of Environmental Protection
Regulation 2019) must not be released from the site or to waters within the site, or be likely
to be released should rainfall occur, unless all reasonable and practicable measures are
taken to prevent or minimise the release and concentration of contamination.
18. Sediment and erosion control measures must be in place prior to works commencing. If such
measures are not in place or are not satisfactory, “on the spot” fines may be issued. Such
fines can be issued if sediments from the site are found to enter or have the potential to enter
Council’s stormwater system, natural waterways, any downstream stormwater filtration
system or adversely impacting on other properties. The sediment and erosion control design
and measures have NOT been approved, it is the site's Supervising Engineer who is
responsible for ensuring that the sediment and erosion control measures have:
a. Been duly designed by an RPEQ or CPESC and constructed in accordance with "best
practise" methods,
b. Been revised by an RPEQ or CPESC to address the issues raised by changes in the
projected construction schedule and/or methods,
c. Been revised to address predicted rainfall events, and
d. Achieve the desired environmental outcomes.
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Council may request further controls to be installed should the implemented measures be
found inefficient.
19. The erosion and sediment control measures must be designed, installed and maintained in
accordance with the supervising engineer instructions and the current best practice
standards * (Refer to Advisory Note).
20. The developer must ensure non-essential exposure of soil is prevented by restricting the
extent of disturbance and minimising the duration of soil exposure to adverse weather
conditions and effectively turf, cover or stabilise any disturbed area without delay and prior
to rainfall occurring.
21. The developer must ensure sediment does not leave the site or enter onto adjoining
properties or Council’s drainage system due to surface runoff or on tyres of vehicles and/or
machinery. It is essential to implement appropriate approved erosion and sediment control
measures throughout the site during all phases of construction including vehicle shakedown
pad/grid (or similar) at the access to the construction site. Where sediments or other
contaminants are deposited on a road, they must be removed so as not to enter Council’s
drainage system or waterways.
22. Prior to the completion of the development and commencement of use, all site surfaces must
be effectively stabilised using methods which have achieved effective short-term stabilisation
and which will continue to achieve effective stabilisation in the medium to long-term. For the
purpose of this condition, an effectively stabilised surface is defined as one that does not, or
is not likely to result in visible evidence of soil loss caused by sheet, rill or gully erosion or
lead to sedimentation, or lead to water contamination.
Damage to Services and Assets
23. Any damage caused to existing services and assets as a result of the development works
must be repaired at no cost to the asset owner at the following times:
a. where the damage would cause a hazard to pedestrian or vehicle safety, immediately;
or
b. where otherwise, upon completion of the works associated with the development.
Any repair work which proposes to alter the alignment or level of existing services and assets
must first be referred to the relevant service authority for approval.
FOLLOWING CONSTRUCTION
Certification
24. Upon completion of the work a certificate must be issued by an RPEQ certifying that the
works have been constructed in accordance with the Operational Works permit.
5. REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
Not applicable.
6. REFERRAL AGENCIES
Not applicable.
7. ADVISORY NOTES
The following notes are included for guidance and information purposes only and do not form part
of the assessment manager conditions:
General Advisory Notes
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1. Council has undertaken an audit check of the Operational Works drawings in relations to the
proposed works. A detailed check of the calculations and drawings has not been undertaken,
as they have been certified by a RPEQ. The RPEQ bears full responsibility for all aspects of
the engineering design. Council reserves the right to require further amendments and/or
additions at a later date should design errors become apparent.
2. Council reserves the right to call up any performance bond held or levy charges against the
property, should emergency works be required to be undertaken by Council to make the site
safe due to inactivity on the development site for extended periods of time.
3. Should any changes or modifications to the approved plans be required as a result of
construction constraints, a “Request to change an existing approval” under the Planning Act
2016 must be made. Amended plans clearly indicating the changes must be lodged with this
application along with the appropriate fees.
Qualified Person
4. For the purpose of preparing a Geotechnical Report, and for certifying geotechnical stability
for the development, a qualified person is considered to be a person who:
a. is a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ); and
b. has a degree in civil engineering or engineering geology; and
c. has a minimum of 5 years experience in the field of geotechnical engineering or
engineering geology.
Environmental Advisory Notes
5. The Environmental Protection Act 1994 states that a person must not carry out any activity
that causes, or is likely to cause, environmental harm unless the person takes all reasonable
and practicable measures to prevent or minimise the harm. Environmental harm includes
environmental nuisance. In this regard persons and entities, involved in the civil, earthworks,
construction and landscaping phases of this development are to adhere to their ‘general
environmental duty’ to minimise the risk of causing environmental harm.
Erosion and Sediment Control
6. Accepted best practice standards include International Erosion Control Association
Australasia Best Practice Erosion and Sediment Control.
7. Qualified Person, for the purpose of erosion and sediment control is a Certified Professional
in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) or suitably experienced Registered Professional
Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ).
8. As a general rule, a site is determined to have achieved effective short-term stabilisation if
at the time of the plan sealing inspection:
a. Methods of stabilisation are:
• appropriate for slopes and slope lengths; and
• are consistent with best practice environmental management practices such as in
the Manual for Erosion and Sediment Control or the IECA Manual; and
b. Stormwater runoff from the site is not currently, and is not likely to result in visible
evidence of sedimentation or erosion, or lead to water contamination.
If at the time of request for plan sealing, the method of short-term stabilisation has not
achieved a level of stability that Council's Officers believe will have a high probability
of achieving long term stability (i.e. until house construction has occurred on all lots),
Council Officers may take the following matters into consideration in determining
whether the site is capable of achieving medium to long-term stability:
• evidence that the site has been effectively stabilised in the short term;
• evidence that soil has been adequately ameliorated;
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• evidence that seed of annual and perennial grass species has been applied at an
adequate rate; and
• that grass seed has germinated at a density that is likely to achieve an effective
grass cover.
For example, while hydromulch can provide an immediate and effective stabilising
cover to soils, the protective cover can be relatively short-lived if vegetation fails to
establish before the thin layer of mulch decomposes. So if hydromulch is selected as
the method of temporary short term stabilisation, Council Officers will seek to confirm
that perennial as well as annual grasses are well established at the time of plan sealing
to reduce the risk of instability of the site in the medium to long term. As a general rule,
hydromulch will only be accepted as a “patch” fix and should comprise no more than
20% of the exposed site area due to the high risk of failure. Due to the requirement to
progressively stabilise exposed areas, it is not envisioned that this will present any
difficulties for an appropriately managed and compliant site.
Road Reserve Permit
9. This development permit provides the applicant with written authority to undertake the
prescribed works. Any additional activities that are undertaken inside Council’s road reserve
for the purpose of acting on this development permit may require a Road Reserve Permit.
These additional activities may include, but are not limited to, hoarding, pedestrian
diversions, laneway closures, etc. To apply for a Road Reserve Permit, or for more
information, Contact Council’s Road Reserve Officer at [email protected] Act 2014 – Fire Ant Control
10. Developers must remain vigilant for the presence of fire ants. Under the Biosecurity Act 2014,
individuals and businesses are responsible for ensuring that they follow the movement
controls for specific organic materials to help prevent the spread of fire ants within South
East Queensland’s fire ant biosecurity zones. Movement of a fire ant carrier from within a fire
ant biosecurity zone may need a biosecurity instrument permit. More information is available
on https://www.fireants.org.au/treat/business-andindustry/movement-controls
8. PROPERTY NOTES
Not applicable.
9. VARIATION APPROVAL DETAILS
Not applicable.
10. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT PERMITS REQUIRED
Type of Development Permit Required Subject of the required Development Permit
Development Permit for Building Works All building work.
11. SUBMISSIONS
Not applicable.
12. RIGHTS OF APPEAL
You are entitled to appeal against this decision. A copy of the relevant appeal provisions from the
Planning Act 2016 is attached.
During the appeal period, you as the applicant may suspend your appeal period and make written
representations to Council about the conditions contained within the development approval. If
Council agrees or agrees in part with the representations, a negotiated decision notice will be
issued. Only one negotiated decision notice may be given.
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13. OTHER DETAILS
If you wish to obtain more information about the decision, electronic copies are available online at
www.noosa.qld.gov.au or at Council Offices.
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