MCU14/0106 & OPW15/0001 Appendix F - Ecological and Bushfire Management Response

Noosa Civic Expansion
Bushfire Assessment Report



5.      The only area where the SPP 1/03 building setback guidelines are not complied with is in respect of the
        setback of buildings from existing native forest vegetation in Covenant J. In respect of any fire risks
        associated with the narrow band of vegetation that will be retained within Covenant J it is noted that:
          - the proposed development and the Covenant J protected vegetation (and any additional trees
            retained adjacent to Covenant J) are considered to be within the development area protected by
            the firebreak and fire management access provided by the Hofmann Drive extension;
          - a building façade setback of between 3 – 8m is provided to the eastern boundary of Covenant J to
            the south of the proposed pedestrian link, where the adjacent building will comprise a basement
            carpark (partly open-sided) and blank fire-proof wall to the proposed Discount Department Store
            and ‘Mini-Major’ outlet, with no roof overhangs;
          - the proposed pedestrian link through Covenant J will have no setback;
          - a building façade setback of 0.5-14m is provided to the eastern boundary of Covenant J to the north
            of the proposed pedestrian link, with outdoor dining deck structures to within 5m , although existing
            trees within this setback will be retained (ie. the buffer setback will be effectively zero);
          - new buildings and deck along the western side of Covenant J and to the north of the pedestrian
            bridge, to within 1 – 8m of protected vegetation; and
          - the dimensions and nature of the proposed building setback to the eastern edge of Covenant J is
            generally equivalent to the existing building setback to the western edge of Covenant J associated
            with the existing Noosa Civic development (0m to service ramp and 10m to rear corner of existing
            Woolworths).
Whilst the proposed building setbacks to Covenant J vegetation are less than the setbacks recommended in
the SPP 1/03 Guideline, this situation will not create an unacceptable level of risk to human health or property
given the following facts and circumstances:
> the proposed Noosa Civic expansion will require clearing of a significant proportion of the existing native
  forest vegetation between Walter Hay Drive, the southern roundabout and the existing Noosa Civic centre
  (with the exception of the band of forest in Covenant J), and will thereby remove much of the existing
  bushfire hazard;
> relatively narrow band of forest vegetation within Covenant J will be effectively isolated from larger areas
  of vegetation to the south by the proposed extension of Hofmann Drive, which would substantially limit the
  potential for bushfire originating in the southern Open Space Precinct OS2 and OS4 to spread into
  Covenant J;
> the extent of vegetation within Covenant J is less than 1.5 ha in extent and occurs as a relatively narrow
  band of vegetation (30-65m in width) on flat land, which factors limit the ability for any fire originating within
  Covenant J to develop to a high severity;
> the proposed pedestrian link through Covenant J will further fragment the vegetation and interfere with the
  build-up and passage of bushfire;
> whilst the vegetation within Covenant J is currently equivalent to an eucalypt forest with dry-shrub ladder
  fuels, it contains rainforest elements within the understorey and small tree layer and will over time and in
  the absence of fire transition to a form of rainforest with a lower hazard level;
> as part of the active management of Covenant J, including the rehabilitation of any areas that may be
  disturbed during the construction of the Noosa Civic expansion, there is the capacity to promote the
  development of a native rainforest community to further reduce bushfire hazard levels;
> the presence of a drainage line within Covenant J combined with the sheltering effects of substantial
  buildings to the east and north-west means that relatively high moisture levels are likely to be maintained
  within Covenant J which minimises the potential for the build-up and curing of fuel loads;
> the Medium Hazard Area classification assigned to Covenant J using the SPP 1/03 Guideline methodology
  is considered conservative and the associated composite hazard score of 7 for this area sits at the lower
  end of the Medium hazard area score spectrum which ranges from 6 to 12.5; and


QIC Noosa Civic Pty Ltd                             Version 2                                           23 April 2015
J13041_Bushfire Assessment V2.docx            Commercial in Confidence                                      Page 17