2016-07-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                       12 JULY 2016


Overlay Provisions
The following overlay code is applicable to this application:
    Natural Resources Overlay Code.
The application proposes Building Works in the form of a lap pool and a concrete paved area
sited within a minimum 6.0m Coastal Protection setback. The setback encroachments are
required to be assessed against the provisions of the Natural Resources Overlay Code (Coastal
Protection Area) and are set out below:
Specific Outcome O16 - The siting and design of development and materials used within the
Coastal Protection Area, as identified on the Natural Resources Overlay Maps, do not cause any
significant adverse impacts on the coastal resources of the location nor interrupt the natural
cycles of erosion and accretion of foreshore areas and beaches.
Specific Outcome O19 - Where a coastal building line does not exist on properties fronting the
beachfront or a reserve adjoining the beachfront– buildings, other structures and retaining walls
are setback a minimum of 6m from the seaward boundary of the site.

The Natural Resources Overlay of The Noosa Plan maps a Coastal Protection Area which affects
lots along the coastline within the Eastern Beaches Locality. The Coastal Protection Area
generally reflects the State Planning Policy Natural Hazard mapping for erosion prone areas. The
Coastal Protection Area highlights coastal hazard areas and erosion prone areas along the
coastline. The Natural Resources Overlay Code requires new development or redevelopment to
address resilience against natural coastal processes, such as erosion and accretion of foreshore
areas.
The Code calls for development, including all buildings and structures, to be setback a minimum
of 6.0m from the seaward boundary of the lot. In conjunction with the setback, the code seeks a
5.0m setback area to be revegetated with a mix of native landscaping. The intent of the
revegetation is to provide a further vegetated buffer to the dunal system and increase dunal
stability and resilience. The increased buffer area will better protect the whole foredune and
therefore the Code nominates the minimum setback as a Specific Outcome. Given the projected
impacts of climate change with increased extreme weather events, storm surge and sea level
rise will exacerbate coastal erosion risk to property and the coastal environment. This buffer area
intended by the Code is critical for supporting natural coastal processes and enabling vegetation
to secure and protect the foredune system from gradual erosion and from large erosion events
resulting from major storm events.
The application does not propose revegetation within the required 5.0m buffer to the rear of the
property and seeks a dispensation for building works within the 6.0m setback. The proposed
building work does not meet the planning scheme outcomes intended to increase resilience and
does not align with climate change adaptation measures for development within coastal hazard
areas. Whilst the 6.0m setback is generally an arbitrary nominated setback that does not directly
follow the coastline, it provides an important line of defence and vegetation buffer to help the
coastal zone return to a stable state after a major storm event or periods of gradual erosion.
Allowing for further encroachment of structures into this setback area would make it more difficult
to maintain this natural line of defence from incremental creep of development into the foredune
area.
Ideally there would be no development in this dune area east of the road reserve. Allowing for
development further seaward only increases the vulnerability of the natural environment to
coastal hazards and the vulnerability of buildings and infrastructure by reducing the
environment’s natural resilience or ability to repair itself. Given the conflict with The Noosa Plan’s
Natural Resources Overlay Code, the application is not supported.




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