Further submission from applicant 13.10.2023

6.       Under section 45(5)(b) of the Planning Act, Council’s assessment of the development application
         may be carried out against, or having regard to, any other relevant matter. The specific examples
         of ‘relevant matters’ in the Planning Act are:

         (a)       a planning need;

         (b)       the current relevance of the assessment benchmarks in light of changed circumstances;

         (c)       whether assessment benchmarks or other prescribed matters were based on material
                   errors.

7.       To the extent there is any inconsistency with the Noosa Plan 2020 (which is not admitted),
         Council should also have regard to the following relevant matters:

         (a)       any non-compliance with the Noosa Plan 2020 (which is not admitted), is only of a
                   technical nature;

         (b)       the recently constructed ‘Parkridge Noosa’, a substantial development in the Tourist
                   Accommodation zone will not satisfy the projected level of demand for visitor
                   accommodation under the Noosa Plan 2020;

         (c)       if approved, the development will be the first purpose built luxury hotel in Noosa since the
                   Sofitel in Hastings Street (which was constructed in 1989);

         (d)       given the existing development on the land, the resort complex is unable to be
                   accommodated solely on the land in the Tourism Accommodation zone;

         (e)       if approved, it is anticipated the proposed development will result in an increase of
                   $25.7m in gross regional product (GRP) for the Noosa region and 202 jobs during
                   construction. Following construction, the proposed development will result in an increase
                   of $14.3m in GRP and 158 jobs. In this regard, it is noted that Noosa’s current economy
                   relies significantly on the tourism, retail, health and construction sectors (Noosa Plan
                   2020, s 3.2.2);

         (f)       there is an estimated shortage of 683 short-term accommodation rooms in Noosa and the
                   proposed development will address the shortage (in part);

         (g)       the proposed resort complex represents an opportunity to provide additional tourism
                   accommodation by integrating with the existing facilities and infrastructure that form part
                   of the Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort. The opportunity exists in circumstances
                   where there is limited land available to provide new tourist accommodation and a chronic
                   shortage of full-service luxury hotel accommodation;

         (h)       the proposed development will offer tourist accommodation in a desirable location outside
                   of Hasting Street and other busy nodes in Noosa, which will mean existing traffic
                   congestion during peak periods is not exacerbated. It will also contribute to greater
                   diversity of accommodation offered in the area and reduce the existing tendency of
                   visitors to utilise Airbnb accommodation;

         (i)       the proposed development is consistent with the planning strategies in the Noosa Plan
                   2020 that seek to protect the amenity and maintain residential areas for permanent
                   residential living, without being compromised by short-term visitor accommodation;

         (j)       the proposed development has been designed on the basis of comprehensive advice
                   obtained from reputable experts in town planning, ecology, odour, noise, bushfire risk,
                   traffic engineering, civil engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, hospitality
                   planning and hotel operations. The proposed development has been designed to ensure
                   minimal impact on the existing vegetation and fauna on the land. The proponent accepts
                   the terms of the conditions relating to vegetation management in the draft conditions
                   package;




Letter - Mr L Sengstock - Submissions on grounds for refusal - 02(43623133.1).docx                               3