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FURTHER REPORT - MCU21/0110 - APPLICATION FOR MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE - RESORT COMPLEX AND ANICILLARY BAR, FOOD AND DRINK OUTLET, OUTDOOR SPORT AND RECREATION, AND CLUB (MINOR EXTENSION TO EXISTING CLUBHOUSE) AT 61 NOOSA SPRINGS DRIVE, NOOSA HEADS (REFERRED FROM PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE DATED 6 MAY 2025)

Development Assessment Manager, Patrick Murphy · Development & Regulation Department

Executive summary

A report for this application was first presented to Council at the Planning and Environment Committee on 11 July 2023, at that time the application sought to develop a 106-room hotel on land within Noosa Springs. The report addressed a range of issues including the sites split zoning, the potential odour impacts of the nearby sewage treatment plant, bushfire risk, ecology, carparking and built form. The officer’s recommendation was to approve the application on the basis that the odour impacts had been satisfactorily addressed and matters relating to bushfire, ecology, carparking and built form had been suitably addressed. The matter was referred to the General Committee Meeting dated 17 July 2023 at which time a motion was put forward to refuse the application. The motion was successful, and the application was recommended for refusal. On 19 July 2023 the applicant stopped the decision-making period until 29 September 2023. As this was done prior to the Ordinary Meeting of 20 July 2023 Council was not able to finalise a decision on the application. The decision-making period recommenced on 29 September 2023. A Further Report was prepared for the Planning and Environment Committee meeting on 7 November 2023, due to the significance of the matter was referred to the General Meeting of 13 November 2023. At that time the applicant had not amended the layout of the proposed development however had provided several written submissions which included an analysis of the submissions made during the notification period, a letter from a solicitor reviewing the proposed grounds of refusal, and a further letter from the applicant’s planning consultant seeking to justify grounds to support the development. The grounds of refusal proposed at the General Committee on July 17, 2023, were reviewed by a planning solicitor. Accordingly, the updated grounds of refusal were included in the report. On 13 November 2023 the applicant made an Other Change to the application to include an extension to the existing clubhouse. The change was an Other Change as it introduced a new land use into the application. This meant that the application reverted to the Confirmation Notice stage and no decision was able to be made on the application at the 13 November 2023 General Committee Meeting. The change application formalised the changes to the clubhouse that were referred to in the original report, and included the following: • Minor alterations to the internal configurations of the bar, kitchen, cold room and store area (red dotted outline); and • New liquor cool room, new dry store, new security & procurement office, new wet and dry waste areas and new enclosed storage area (shown as yellow shading). A report considering the proposal including the Other Change was prepared for consideration at the Planning and Environment Committee dated 11 June 2024. At this meeting the matter was referred to the General Committee Meeting of 17 June 2024. At the General Committee meeting it was agreed to defer the matter to a future meeting round as the applicant requested to extend the decision- making period so it could enter into meaningful discussions about changes that might be made to the proposed Resort Hotel, that are reasonable, to address any valid planning concerns Councillors might have about the development. On 27 February 2025, the applicant made a minor change to the existing application reducing the proposal from a 106 bedroom resort to a 69 bedroom resort. in a letter supporting the amended application the applicant advises: The request for a minor change stems from concerns raised by councillors about the scale of the development, which unavoidably, extends into the Recreation and Open Space Zone and partly into the Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay (Biodiversity Overlay) towards the east of the site. This is despite the development not having a significant impact on any environmental values as confirmed by Dr Watson and Council’s environmental officer. Other concerns were raised about the scale and extent of the pools within the centre of the site and the continued operation of the tennis courts, including during construction. The changes being made to the development are detailed below: • Pavilion 5 has been removed from the top of the site towards the east with the stair and lift area reconfigured for Pavilion 4. • Pavilion 1, Level 1 presidential suite changed to two (2) deluxe rooms with a reduction in the terrace areas at ground level. • The character and privacy of the central recreation zone has been strengthened by increasing the planted landscape spaces, with the swimming pools reduced in size and enhanced by being integrated into a natural landscape setting. • A minor increase in the size of the amenities building will provide for wellness facilities that complement the recreation zone. • A change to the overall design of the open space areas, with pathways and small deck areas added to make some passive use of the open space area towards the east where Pavilion 5 was located while maintaining the existing vegetation. • An increase in the size of the southeastern tennis court to a ITF (pro-tour size) tennis court; and • A reduction in the height of the structures above the decked carpark to the south with the solar panels to be maintained. The minor change plans form the basis of the current assessment. Noting earlier officer recommendations regarding previous versions of the development and noting the reduced footprint associated with the current minor change the application is supported subject to reasonable and relevant conditions.

Recommendation

That Council note the Further Report by the Manager Development Assessment to the Planning and Environment Committee Meeting dated 6 May 2025 regarding Application No. MCU21/0110 for a Development Permit for a Material Change of Use – Resort Complex and ancillary Bar, Food and Drink Outlet, Outdoor Sport and Recreation and Club (minor extension to existing clubhouse) at 61 Noosa Springs Drive, Noosa Heads and:

  1. Approve the application subject to conditions in accordance with Attachment 1.

Report details

Index: ECM/Applications/MCU21/0110