122 Musa Vale Rd - MCU Planning Report - Code

Conclusions
The proposed Development Permit for a Material Change of Use for short-term accommodation
within the existing approved small dwelling at 122 Musa Vale Road, Cooroy has been assessed
against the relevant State and local planning framework, including the Planning Act 2016 and the
Noosa Plan 2020.
This report demonstrates that the application is properly made as a Code assessable application
and is supportable on clear planning grounds.

The subject site is located within the Rural Zone and has an area of 41.56 hectares.

The proposed short-term accommodation is on the same site as one of the applicant’s principal
place of residence, does not incorporate conference or function facilities, is contained within one
existing approved 46.5m² small dwelling, does not exceed four guest rooms, cabins or permanent
tents, does not exceed 200m² gross floor area, and will accommodate no more than eight guests.

The proposal does not seek to establish new built form, expand development on the land, or
intensify the physical use of the site. No building work, vegetation clearing, earthworks, new
access, or additional servicing infrastructure is proposed.

Rather, the application seeks approval to confine short-term accommodation to an existing
approved and self-contained one-bedroom small dwelling, while the existing short-term
accommodation approval applying to the five-bedroom main dwelling is to be relinquished and
that dwelling retained for principal place of residence - permanent residential occupation.

That reduced-scale outcome is a significant planning consideration. The proposal transfers short-
term accommodation from the existing larger main dwelling to a much smaller secondary dwelling,
thereby materially reducing the potential for visitor-related impacts, including guest numbers,
traffic generation, noise, waste and overall activity on the land.

The main dwelling is occupied by one of the owners as her principal place of residence and is to be
retained for permanent residential occupation. This supports the continued residential function of
the land and ensures that short-term accommodation remains subordinate to the primary
residential use of the property.

The proposal has also been demonstrated to align with the relevant provisions of the Rural Zone
Code, the Visitor Accommodation Code, relevant Works codes and applicable overlay code
provisions.

The existing small dwelling is already approved, self-contained, appropriately sited, and serviced
by established access, parking, water supply, on-site effluent disposal, stormwater, power and
telecommunications infrastructure.

The development therefore maintains rural character, protects amenity, avoids conflict with
surrounding rural uses, and remains compatible with the environmental and landscape values of
the locality.

The Works code assessment confirms that the existing access, parking, servicing, drainage and
waste management arrangements are adequate to support the proposed use and that no
additional works or infrastructure upgrades are required.

Overall, the application delivers a smaller-scale, lower-intensity and more appropriate short-term
accommodation outcome on the site. It preserves the primacy of permanent residential

RG Strategic             Town Planning Report – MCU to establish Short-Term Accommodation             24