Minor Change - Planning Report 15.08.2025 · MCU17/0024.03

6.   Conclusions

The proposed Minor Change to the approval conditions for the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club
(MCU17/0024.02) is strongly supported by a robust and current acoustic assessment methodology.

This methodology, prepared by Live It Acoustics, has been formally accepted by the Office of Liquor and
Gaming Regulation (OLGR) and the resulting noise conditions are endorsed by OLGR on the club’s
current liquor licence (Licence number: 86806, dated 28 April 2025).

A central component of this application is the implementation of "Close External Monitoring Locations"
(CEMLs) for noise limits. These locations, within 25 meters of the venue and oriented towards noise-
sensitive properties, allow for the monitoring and control of all cumulative noise, encompassing
amplified music, non-amplified entertainment, and critically, patron-generated noise. This holistic
approach is essential to prevent "unreasonable noise" as defined in the Liquor Regulation 2002.

A key objective of this Minor Change application is to remove the outdated conditions (Conditions 9, 10,
and 11) that mandate the use of a sound limiting device. As explicitly detailed in the Acoustic Report,
sound limiting devices are ineffective for comprehensive noise control because they cannot manage
noise from patrons or portable entertainment systems, which do not pass through the venue's sound
system.

Instead, the proposal integrates the club's Risk Assessed Management Plan (RAMP) into Condition 8.
The RAMP provides a more practical and effective framework with operational and management
measures to control noise impacts, including proactive steps such as door/window closure, sound level
adjustments, and managing patron behaviour.

The approval of this Minor Change from Noosa Council is pivotal. While OLGR has already endorsed the
new CEML-based noise limits on the club's liquor licence, the OLGR licence currently retains the sound-
limiting device condition because it remains a requirement of the Council's town planning approval.

By amending Condition 8 and deleting Conditions 9, 10, and 11 from the Council's Decision Notice, the
OLGR has provided positive indication that they will remove the corresponding, redundant sound-
limiting device conditions from its liquor licence, achieving full regulatory alignment.

From a planning perspective, the proposed changes fully comply with the Noosa Plan 2020 and
specifically satisfy the relevant Amenity and Safety outcomes of the Business Uses Code. This
application meets the definition of a 'Minor Change to Approval' under Schedule 2 of the Planning Act
2016 because it does not introduce new uses, alter built form, or change operational capacity.

Crucially, it introduces no new impacts and does not increase the severity of any existing impacts,
ensuring that the intended outcomes of the original approval conditions are maintained while providing
a more modern and enforceable noise management framework.

In conclusion, this Minor Change application (MCU17/0024.02) is strongly recommended for approval.
The proposed amendments, driven by a regulatorily-endorsed acoustic methodology, introduce a



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