Planning report

                                                                                    proposal report




3.0 Background
The site was approved by Council for an educational establishment in 1993 under TPC2252 with
the approval permitting a dining hall, meditation hall and on-site accommodation in the centre of
the site. An approval to extend the centre was issued by Noosa Council in 2005 with this approval
including new extended dining facilities, office/reception, meditation rooms and new
accommodation for up to 52 persons. Attachment A provides a copy of the conditions of approval
and the Master Plan for the site approved under the 2005 approval.

The applicant has been operating from the site since the mid 1990’s with construction of the
buildings being undertaken on a staged basis as funding became available. In March 2018
Council approved a request for revised plans of the Individual Meditation Hall building to be
accepted as Generally in Accordance (GIA). Further to this GIA approval, an application to further
extend the Individual Meditation Hall building was lodged and approved by Council in February
2020. A copy of this approval is included in Attachment B.

In March 2017, representatives of the Centre met with Council officers to discuss a proposal to
extend the facility to cater for an additional 65 persons. Council staff raised a number of matters
that needed consideration including:

        Conflicts between protecting vegetation and requirements to ensure safety from the risk of
         bushfire noting that the site is subject to flooding.

        Effluent disposal upgrades may conflict with vegetation protection.

        Council does not have a preferred density for the site.

        Suggested reports to accompany the application:

                                Flora and fauna
                                Traffic report
                                Bushfire
                                Flood
                                Water Quality

A copy of the pre-lodgement notes is included in Attachment C.




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       town planners + urban designers + development managers                             page 9 of 18