Character Issues Reponse

      adaptive reuse of the subject character house as the basis for a medical centre was thoroughly
      investigated much earlier in the development proposal process for this site. Following those
      preliminary investigations, it was resolved that this character building is not suitable or
      potentially adaptable for that proposed land use due to the practical / logistical issues such as
      the inadequacy of the domestic floor framing to support large and heavy radiology imaging
      equipment as well as the process of installing such substantial machinery within this building,
      which would necessitate the dismantling of substantial portions of the house first.

      What is more difficult to understand is Council’s apparent strong opposition to a proposal by
      an established provider of medical services which would facilitate the local community of
      Cooroy gaining access to modern radiology imaging services within a precinct of that town
      already substantially occupied by a private hospital and associated medical services operations
      housed in an array of contemporary buildings adjoining the subject site. The pragmatic
      considerations of installing the requisite radiology imaging equipment and providing for the
      required compartmentalisation and/or screening internally for same within the subject
      character house have already determined as likely to exceed any practical basis for adaptive
      reuse of this character building. This is why the Applicant has sought to house these vital
      medical facilities within a purpose-built and appropriately detailed medical centre structure
      that also incorporates a moderately pitched, hipped roof form and key character detailing
      elements, such as an entrance “verandah” addressing the Maple Street site frontage and
      lattice screening suspended from the eaves, as an acknowledgement of and in order to
      respond to the Character Area contextual setting of the subject site.

      Council commentary: Item 3 (e) of the Info Request suggests that “Consideration of the Burra
      Charter principles” require consideration as part of the current proposal.

      Response: At the risk of having to repeat an earlier Response, this requirement included in
      Council’s Information Request letter would appear to be ill-founded. In this regard it is noted
      that the Preamble of The Burra Charter advises that:
      “The Charter sets a standard of practice for those who provide advice, make decisions about, or
      undertake works to places of cultural significance, including owners, managers and
      custodians.” (Page 10).

      As noted previously; the subject site is not presently identified as a local heritage place – see
      extract from Section 13.16.2 (f) (iii) of the Noosa Plan (above) – so it isn’t actually a “place of
      cultural significance” per se and consequently the heritage conservation principles of the Burra
      Charter are simply not applicable to Council’s further assessment of the proposed relocation of
      a traditional character house from one character area to another.

3. Conclusion:
   The content of the Information Request correspondence is considered to be a very disappointing
   attempt by Noosa Council to thwart this project and the related enhancement of medical services
   made available in Cooroy based predominantly upon an elaborate misinterpretation of the




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