In 2004 Noosa Council sold two big blocks of bushland to Blue Care. Development approval was given for a massive aged care facility adjacent to what is now Sunrise Shops and the Uniting Church building. The approval has been changed and extended since and here we are in 2018 and the survey stakes went in.
From what we understand from the masterplan the development will consist of:
The suburb Sunrise Beach has changed during these last ten years and there are good reasons for development applications lapsing after a set period. It appears that this particular development approval has been quietly extended twice. Once under Sunshine Coast Council and more recently in 2017 under Noosa Shire Council. This means the development itself and the scale of it came to many of us locals as a shock.
You can find relevant documentation online with Noosa Council’s development application tracking . Enter the tracking number: 132008.1128
We have got seven big questions for council:
We are looking forward answers from Noosa Council and hope we’ll get a better understanding how this new development will integrate into the fabric of Sunrise Beach and how the damage to our glorious natural environment will be minimised.
Designer and artist in pursuit of an authentic and sustainable life. Originally from the Schwäbian Biosphere, Bettina studied cultural education in Hildesheim, Germany, attained a BA at London’s Central St. Martins College for Art and Design and after 10 years in London’s digital creative industry she settled with her children in Noosa in 2006. She was involved with the Creative Class project and Noosa Biosphere in various capacities. She is a creative and passionate about social justice. She is partner at Kaizen Communications, co-founder of The No.1 Ladies’ Creative Agency’ and founder and editor of Open Noosa.
A recent Department of Environment and Science consultation on the protection of animal breeding places stated that tree hollows are extremely valuable breeding places for protected wildlife. They can take a long time to prepare or form naturally – small tree hollows take over 100 years to form, medium hollows for parrots take 200 years, larger hollows for owls and glossy black cockatoos take even longer, and may be used by many species (130 species are dependent on tree hollows in South East Queensland). So the question is, how do offsets work when we know the breeding places and food trees take such a long time to develop? This application was approved ten years ago – imagine they had already started to propagate trees back then, the situation would have been slightly different. Grow first, then cut.
I would really hate to witness the loss of an iconic species right here in our backyard 🙁
Open NoosaOctober 9, 2018 at 11:05 am
In response to our questions, we received the following feedback from Councillor Brian Stockwell with information provided by Kerri Coyle, Manager of Development Assessment. “I refer to the enquiries around the Blue Care development at Grasstree Court Sunrise Beach and provide the following background for you. The subject site was previously owned by Noosa Council. Blue Care Contracted to purchase the land over which the development is approved sometime around 2007/2008 possibly, with the contract being subject to gaining a development approval. I understand from Fox that Council at the time agreed to sell the land to Blue Care to help fund the Cooroy library and also recognising the high need for more aged care in Noosa. The proposal was also consistent with the Girraween Master Plan endorsed by Council in June 2006. The Girraween Master Plan, determined areas for community use and facilities and for conservation after consideration to community needs, environmental values of the area and economic opportunities. The subject site was designated for future community use. The development application was lodged in 2008 and was subject to a protracted assessment process including referral to state agencies due to the site’s vegetation, and amendments to the Noosa Plan to address zoning anomalies (see below for further details on scheme amendments). Ultimately that process resulted in the application remaining dormant until May 2011 when the scheme amendments were adopted and DERM issued their approval in June 2011. The application was decided in December 2011. The approved development comprises a residential aged care facility, with 96 beds and ancillary uses (medical, allied health, nursing and respite care) over two levels ,and a retirement village which comprises 4 independent living unit apartment buildings with a total of 54 apartments over two levels with basement car parking; 55 single level villa style independent living units and a central facilities building comprising 20 serviced apartments and a recreation centre for all independent living unit residents. The site has long been committed for development with the site designated for Community Services under the 1997 Strategic Plan, the Noosa Plan as Community Services and then identified under the Girraween Master Plan for community use and facilities. As a result of the Girraween master plan and subsequent amendments to The Noosa Plan, the majority of the original site is now to be dedicated as nature refuge and only this Blue Care development area is committed for community uses. A number of conditions were imposed on the approval to address the habitat loss including that:
– Identification of all active Glossy black cockatoo food trees within the development footprint or areas likely to be impacted
– A vegetation clearing offset program with a 5 year required maintenance period
– The offset program is required to include topsoil and mulched vegetation from the site to be translocated to a degraded receiving site within the Girraween estate for rehabilitation purposes and transfer of rare and threatened plant species
– Identified Glossy Black Food trees are to be propagated at a ratio of 8:1 from the parent tree and replanted The application was required to follow an impact assessment process and was publicly notified, with 5 properly made submissions were received. The submitters were primarily concerned with stormwater treatment and vegetation removal. An application to extend the currency period to Dec 2021 for the first stage was approved by officers in November 2017. At the time of this application officers reviewed the development’s compliance with the current regulations and requirements and found that the development was compliant apart from Bushfire Management given bushfire is now managed more stringently than at the time of the approval. The applicant responded by providing an updated fire management plan which resulted in some very minor amendments to approved layout (i.e. greater setbacks to adjoining reserves). Questions from Residents When the development application was extended in 2017 by Noosa Council was there any review of the ecological assessment? Was there any current assessment of the impact for black glossies in regard to loss of habitat? An further ecological assessment was not required with the application to extend the currency period of the approval. However officers reviewed the approved development’s compliance with the current regulations and requirements and found that the development was compliant apart from Bushfire Management given bushfire is now managed more stringently than at the time of the approval. The applicant responded by providing an updated fire management plan which resulted in some very minor amendments to the approved layout (i.e. greater setbacks to adjoining reserves). While the vegetation on site has matured there are no significant changes to the site’s ecological values, including the impact for black glossies that had not previously been considered – with some plant species listed in the original ecological report no longer listed as threatened under the Nature Conservation Act. The status of threatened glossy black cockatoos and its habitat had not changed during this period. Importantly, the majority of the original site is now to be dedicated as nature refuge and only this Blue Care development area is committed for community uses. This area includes feed trees for the glossy blacks. A number of conditions were imposed on the approval to address the habitat loss. Is there any scope for reducing the number of buildings and retaining more green space?
No – Blue care have a current approval. How will run off from the hard surfaces of this development be managed?
Conditions of approval require Blue care to provide a stormwater drainage system and stormwater quality management system to address stormwater runoff. These works must be undertaken in accordance with an Operational Works approval. Could we please get details on the offset conditions?
See link below to Decision Notice – conditions 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 26
https://noo.t1cloud.com/T1Default/CiAnywhere/Web/NOO/ECMCore/BulkAction/Get/2757c38e-a78b-4c3f-9b12-89d8363bc58a
This link will expire on 3 November 2018, 8:43 AM. What kind of community consultation occurred, at either stage of approval?
The original application was required to follow an impact assessment process and publicly notify the application. Applications to extend the currency period of approvals are not required by the Planning Act 2016 to be publicly notified. Have the assumptions made in the traffic report from 2008 been tested?
There has been no significant developments in the area that warranted reassessment of the potential traffic impacts from the development. Noosa Plan Amendments
The Noosa Plan amendments made in May 2011 were summarised in a report to SCRC at the time as follows:
Changes made to the zoning of this site in round 1 amendments to The Noosa Plan 2006 have had unintended outcomes for the processing of the development application. Specifically, the buffer area between the site and the adjacent national park to the west was rezoned Open Space Conservation in recognition of its buffer role. However the buffer was intended to be 30 metres wide with 20 metres adjacent to the national park retained as vegetation and the next 10 metres used for stormwater and fire management. The state interpreted the zoning as requiring this land to be fully protected and afforded a further 10 metre building setback within the site. Draft Amendment No. 3 to The Noosa Plan 2006 seeks to address this issue by reinstating the original zone to the buffer strip changing the zone from Open Space Conservation zone to Community Service zone. In addition, a substantial area of Community Service zoned land south of the site is proposed to be rezoned to Open Space Conservation zone as it is not intended for development.”
Comprehensive response from Councilor Stockwell as always. Glad to get this background and somewhat reassured by the Noosa planning process. The need for aged care in our area is not disputed and at least as valid as retail and tourism developments.
I would also like to commend Council on the community bushland care program they have initiated for the Glossy blacks. I received a pamphlet in my letterbox on Friday from Ryan Heeney (ryan.heeney@noosa.qld.gov.au) to enhance and maintain the habitat for the cockatoos in Rainbow Park. We have registered our interest to help as we frequently see them fly over and never want that to stop. I just hope Blue Care is contributing to the cost of plants and other materials for this project.
deni.avatar@bigpond .com As a resident of Sunrise Beach. I walk every night and see the glossies in our trees. at Girraween// the Aquatic Centre//// and on the. to be development site. the glossies are there and so is ground parrots. little finches. and more. their habitat must be protected,, we cannot decimate our nature on our doorstep at this rate. the Girraween Master Plan must be revised. our traffic //// housing///// population has increased. since this plan was approved,,
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