Further concerns regarding prosed development - Phil Dauphin 28.02.2023

CONCLUSION
Against this background, residents are naturally gravely concerned about how their safety will be impacted by
bushfires and there can be no doubt that the proposed hotel exacerbates the bushfire and evacuation-related
risks due to the presence of additional people, associated traffic and lack of clarity regarding evacuation.

The absence of a robust and overarching Emergency Response Plan for the whole Noosa Springs area,
underpinned by a set of documented protocols, agreed, and signed off by all key stakeholders, must be
addressed as a matter of priority.

Given the potential life-threatening nature of a bushfire and evacuation event, the fires that occurred on the
doorstep of The Fairways and the Palms residential communities in August 2019 serve as a wake-up call for
those in positions of responsibility and accountability, including the decision makers for the proposed hotel.



1. General Comments
As you are aware, the residents of Noosa Springs have been concerned about the potential impact of
bushfires on their community for some years. These concerns were raised with Council after the
bushfires that occurred in 2019, and the proposed hotel development has now heightened these
concerns even further.

The proposed hotel will sit in the eastern district of Noosa Springs, which includes the residential
communities of The Fairways, Parkridge and The Oasis together with the Golf & Spa Resort. The
population of the eastern district alone could exceed 1200 people, who may all be impacted by a
bushfire. This number includes:

• Residents in Parkridge, The Fairways and The Oasis residential communities.
• Golf & Spa Resort golfers, staff, and groundsmen.
• Day visitors to the Golf & Spa Resort for functions, conferences, meetings, café/restaurant, spa
  treatments, gym, tennis & pool activities etc. plus associated staff and workers.
• Day visitors to Parkridge/Alba café/restaurant and gym.
• Hotel guests and staff etc, for both accommodation, functions, and events.

Note that the figure of 1200 excludes any people from the Western district (Noosa Springs precincts
and Elysium).

The hotel is presented as an isolated, stand-alone facility, with no relationship, interface or impact on
adjoining or nearby residential communities. In reality, it will be an integral part of the eastern district
of Noosa Springs and a close neighbour to the Golf and Spa Resort and the three residential
communities mentioned above. Council’s assessment of the proposed hotel must include due
consideration of the hotel’s impact, especially upon the residents of the residential communities. An
overarching Emergency Response Plan, for the whole of the Noosa Springs area (both eastern and
western districts), should be developed. The plan should be based on worst-case scenarios, and stress-
tested, to ensure the risk is minimised for both residents and visitors and the Emergency Services in
the event of a bushfire emergency.

Local residents continue to be seriously concerned about how their safety will be impacted by
bushfires, and the presence of the hotel, with its guests and visitors, is considered to contribute
significant additional risk to the residents. The ongoing safety and wellbeing of the residents, hotel
guests, golf and spa users and the related staff must take priority over the commercial interests
associated with the hotel.




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