2017-06-06 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                       6 JUNE 2017


Land Use, Works and Overlay Code Provisions
The following further codes which regulate land use and design are most applicable to this
application:
    Residential Uses Code
    Landscaping Code
    Biodiversity Overlay Code
    Natural Hazards Overlay Code
Generally speaking, the development complies or can comply with most provisions of these
codes; however, some significant issues arise. The primary assessment issues for the
development are discussed below.
3.3.1. Primary Planning Scheme Assessment Issues
Need
Since the proposal raises fundamental conflicts with the planning intent for the site, need is
crucial to this assessment. Need may present community benefit grounds sufficient to support
the application. Need in the development sense is commonly recognised as relating to
community wellbeing. A development may be said to be needed if, on balance, it improves
community wellbeing - such as by access to new services or facilities, or a range of other ways.
The application included an extensive assessment of the level of need for aged care facilities.
This assessment involved an analysis of existing and projected demand, against existing and
projected facilities which was in part based on findings from Council initiated reviews by
Humphreys Reynolds Perkins in 2006 and more recently by Briggs & Mortar in 2015.
Both of these reports identify that there is a significant need for aged care facilities as the
population demographic within the Noosa Shire consists of a substantial ageing population.
       >   Noosa is aging at a faster rate than the rest of Queensland, with even the ‘youngest’
           suburb having a median age of 42.3 years. This is significantly higher than the
           Queensland average of 36.0 years, and the SEQ’s average of 38.1 years.
       >   The 65+years age group has grown from 16.5% in 1991 to 19.3% in 2011.
       >   By 2036 this is expected to grow to 30% with almost a third of the shire’s population to
           fall into the 65yrs+ age group.
The applicant’s needs analysis concludes with the following summary:
       >   The above needs analysis confirms that there exists strong demand for further aged
           care facilities in Noosa Shire, with Noosa aging at a faster rate than the rest of
           Queensland. Projections estimate a shortfall of 251 beds by 2026. The proposed 90
           bed facility fits well within this projected demand.
       >   The applicant has demonstrated at a Federal level that the facility will meet the needs
           of the aged community, having achieved the necessary bed licence.
       >   This need analysis demonstrates that an ‘urgent need’ for the proposed aged care
           facility exits and also that the ‘relevant instrument is out of date’ both of which are
           matters under Statutory Guideline 05/09 of public interest considered to provide
           sufficient grounds to justify the proposal despite the conflict with the Noosa Plan.
       >   As such there should be no reason to deny the community of Noosa such a valuable
           facility.
It is agreed that there is a significant need for aged care facilities within the Noosa region. It is
also noted that there are limited opportunities of appropriately zoned land for the development of
aged care facilities.




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