2017-10-10 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 10 OCTOBER 2017


The built form of the development demonstrates compliance with applicable standards and is
therefore supported. An assessment of the proposed changes to the built form is detailed in the
following table.
      Criteria                         Planning Scheme          Proposal            Complies
      Site Area                        N/A                      4738.24m²
      Building height
       storeys                       2 storeys max            2 storeys           
       metres                        10 metres                7 metres            
      Boundary setbacks
        Frontage (Leo Alley)         6 metres min             7 metres            
        Frontage (Sanders St)        6 metres min             6.5 metres          
      Carparking                       24 uncovered min         19 uncovered        X


Car parking
The key aspect requiring consideration in the assessment of this application is the provision of 19
car spaces when 24 car spaces are required by the current approval. It is important to note that
the office extensions are not intended to facilitate more staff, but rather provide improved amenity
for the existing staff on the premises. The new building is also to replace an existing office
located in the north-eastern corner of the site.
If an application were received today to develop the site with 2,375 square metres of use area for
the purpose of Industrial Business Type 2 – Production, Alteration, Repackaging and Repairing,
32 car parking spaces would be required.
In support of the variation the applicant has submitted that the business has a maximum of 15
staff on site at any one time. The applicant has also advised that there are no retail goods offered
for sale at the premises and that there is a very low turnover of customers throughout the day
such that there would usually be no more than 1 customer on site at any time with a maximum of
2 customers on occasion.
At present a hardstand area is situated adjacent to the eastern boundary which will
accommodate 16 of the proposed 19 car spaces, two of the car spaces are tandem spaces which
are considered reasonable for staff parking. This area is currently being utilised for the purpose
of equipment, machinery and vehicle storage. Accordingly, an amended Condition 2 will require
that areas set aside for the purpose of car parking are only used for car parking purposes when
the use is open for business.
It is considered that the provision of 19 car spaces is adequate in relation to peak demand use
(15 staff and 2 customers). Whilst this is 5 less than the current required number of spaces it is
noted that very limited staff parking currently occurs on the site and that the proposal provides for
a substantial improvement to the current situation. It is also noted that the occupier of the land,
Noosa Engineering and Crane Hire, have operated from the site for approximately 26 years. In
light of recent upgrades to the site, being the 2015 increase to the manufacturing shed and the
current proposal, it is reasonable to assume that they will continue to occupy the site for an
extended period of time. Therefore, the specific relationship between the car parking provided on
site and staff numbers is likely to remain aligned for some time.
The capacity for the site to accommodate the car parking associated with the 15 staff members is
important as staff cars are likely to currently occupy public car parking within the surrounding
estate. These cars would currently be parked for an extended period of time during each working
day. The resultant impact on nearby street parking will be significant in an area where car parking
availability is often constrained.




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