2015-07-21 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                        21 JULY 2015


Myall Street Entrance
The applicant maintains its Myall Street entrance design in accordance with its submitted traffic
report and does not share the view of Council’s consultant traffic engineer that a roundabout
entrance is required. The applicant’s response states:
The previously submitted Traffic Report by Pekol Traffic and Transport (15/01/2015) assessed,
amongst other matters, the intended access to the development. It is proposed to provide a
single point of vehicular access to the site from Myall Street. The site access would be an all-
movement intersection and includes provision for a left turn auxiliary deceleration lane and a
channelized right turn treatment. Within the assessment of this access arrangement, the report
states that “the Myall Street site access intersection is expected to experience ‘excellent’
operations during all periods.”. The Department of Transport and Main Roads who control this
section of Myall St, reviewed the traffic report and provided their approval (24/02/2015) inclusive
of conditions. We therefore believe that the access arrangement proposed ought to be supported
by the Council.
Council’s consultant traffic engineer, Colin Beard, maintains his view that should the
development be approved as proposed and background traffic growth exceeds that assumed by
the applicant, traffic conflicts will occur at the Myall Street access - initially with vehicles exiting
the site and later with those entering the site. In Mr Beard’s opinion, the conflicts would require
future median and turn exclusion works but these are inappropriate for a development of this type
and a roundabout is reasonably required.
Undeveloped Balanced Lands
In regard to the extent of undeveloped balanced land resulting from the proposal, the applicant
responded:
Creekgold Pty Ltd, the applicant and owner of the site has no plans for development on the
balance of the site not currently shown for development. Whilst a motel was considered as a
possibility to the south of the entry from Myall St, it was not progressed with after the client
received advice on the current economic viability of both a tourist park and motel on the
site. Further, the application originally submitted to the Council included that part of site to the
north of the service centre building as part of the larger retail shop component. In response to
Item 4 within the Council’s information request, the size of the retail component was reduced
from 1144m2 to 190m2 with a subsequent reduction in the development footprint at the northern
part of the site next to Ferrell’s Rd. Any approval will limit development to that shown on the
approved Site layout plan. Development beyond that approved will require a new application to
be submitted to Council. Importantly, there is “no change in zoning” given effect by approval of
the current application. The land will remain zoned Rural. Any future application (should it ever
be considered) will be considered on its merits against provisions of the planning scheme in force
at that time.
By way of information - the applicant/owner is now the registered owner of land at 5 Garnet St,
Cooroy (the Wimmers site). The applicant / owner is proceeding with the preparation of a
development application over that site for a retail facility of approx. 1225m2.
The original assessment report acknowledged Council is unable to assess the impacts of future
development, however, it highlighted that approval of the development would reduce the degree
to which the site can be considered rural or non-urban in future. As such, staff concerns with
urban form and traffic impacts remain unchanged.
Water Supply Catchment Area
The increased buffer somewhat reduces concerns with development within the Water Supply
Catchment area by improving runoff water quality outcomes. However, the broad planning
issues raised in the original assessment report relating to The Noosa Plan’s precautionary
approach to development in the catchment remain generally unchanged. The applicant has not
demonstrated an overriding benefit to the community from the development. There is no urgent
need for the uses generally proposed, apart from some need for the tourist park.

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