Economic Needs Analysis Report · MCU15/0122

It is expected that there may be some relocation of existing health and medical facilities to
the proposed development from elsewhere in Noosa, attracted to the provision of purpose-
built health and medical space proximate to the Hospital, potentially contributing to an
increase in some vacant space in existing centres within Noosa, although this is not expected
to be significant.
More particularly, there are a number of health and medical facilities that have established
outside of designated or defined centres, in areas that offer levels of exposure, available
space or proximity to other comparable facilities. Health and medical facilities have also
occupied space in bulky goods centres such as the Noosa Homemaker Centre in seeking large
floorplates.
Further, existing medical centres servicing localised catchment areas are unlikely to relocate
to the proposed development preferring to maintain their links to and conveniences for their
existing patient bases.
Rather, the proposed development is expected to appeal to those specialists based out of the
Noosa Private Hospital and VMO’s seeking specialist consulting suites and therefore would
have limited impact on the relocation of existing health care professionals from designated
centres in Noosa and therefore the impact on the centres hierarchy is not expected to be
significant.
The proposed health and specialist centre will present the opportunity to consolidate health
care facilities within the one location, proximate to the Hospital. There is insufficient land
and vacant, contiguous space available within the existing centres to accommodate the
proposed Health Centre and to allow for the consolidation of health care services and facilities
within the one purpose-built development.
It is therefore Urban Economics’s opinion that the proposed development would not
undermine the centre’s hierarchy for Noosa Shire but would contribute to the continued
evolution of an effective, efficient and viable network of centres for Noosa.


Impact of Not Undertaking the Development
The development of a purpose-built health and specialist centre opposite the Noosa Private
Hospital will offer residents of Noosa the level of access to specialist health care services
within the one consolidated location that is afforded to residents elsewhere on the Sunshine
Coast including Buderim, Kawana and Nambour.
If the development were not to proceed within this location, it is Urban Economics’s opinion
that the community of Noosa would experience an increasing net dis-benefit as a result of:

      Increasing waiting times for patients to access radiology services
      Increasing requirement for patients to travel outside of Noosa to access radiology
       services


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