L15 Add info to NC

Council Reference: MCU14/0039
Our Reference:     01569 L15 NG



 th
8 October 2015


Chief Executive Officer
Noosa Council
Po Box 141
TEWANTIN QLD 4565


Confidential Email Transmission: [email protected] & [email protected]
Original in Post: No




Dear Sir/Madam


RE:     RESPONSE TO INFORMATION REQUEST_______________________________________
Development Application for Material Change of Use for Cultivation – Type 2 Intensive for Premises
at 305 Lake Macdonald Drive, Lake Macdonald and described as Lot 1 on SP108094: MCU 14/0039


I refer to the above application and note that the applicant formally responded to Councils information
                                       nd
request by correspondence dated 2 May 2015. Following submission and review of the additional
information required by the information request, Council staff advised that further aspects required attention
including:

      •   Impacts on environmentally sensitive areas.

Council staff raised concerns as to the planting of the crops within growbags located at ground level due to
the potential for nutrients washing into the adjoining creek system. Council staff requested the applicant to
examine the potential for a racking system to be utilized.

The applicants’ environmental consultants have indicated that the amounts of fertilizer and pesticide used by
the proposed tomato farm are substantially less than the previous turf farm use and it is a closed loop
system that will not impact on the adjoining creek system.

The applicant has also expanded the Flood Management Plan to address flooding of the site. The Flood
Management Plan details two flood triggers that will be implemented and include visual inspections of water
levels by the on site manager and the installation of a water gauge with an audible warning signal at Six Mile
Creek. When the warning levels have been reached the on site manager will halt irrigation of the plants and
pump the irrigation water back to the holding tank. Fresh water will then be used to flush out the growbags.
This procedure therefore reduces the potential for the nutrients to be washed into the creek. This system is
considered appropriate based on the low levels of nutrients used and the frequency of flood events on site.

Staff have also raised concerns regarding the potential for the grow bags to washed into the nearby creek.
As verbally advised, the grow bags that were washed into the creek previously were used dry grow bags
that had been stockpiled for removal. The applicant has advised that used dry grow bags will not be
stockpiled on the site and are to be collected in two skip bins that will be located adjacent to the greenhouse
during the 2 weeks that the crops are ‘pulled out’. These skip bins will be removed after the ‘pull out’ period
or earlier if required.

During the growing period, the growbags are generally wet and secured to the greenhouse structure via
nylon string which supports the growing tomato plants. These two conditions aid is restraining the grow bags
and plants within the green house during small flood events that may affect the site. In larger more severe
flood events the nylon strings may break resulting in the growbags breaking free from the greenhouse and
entering the adjoining creek system.