The developer of a proposed 106-room hotel at Noosa Springs has halted Noosa Council’s decision on the application just days after councillors last week voted to go against staff recommendations and refuse the application.
At council’s ordinary meeting on Thursday last week Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie said with a motion to defer the applicant had stopped the current period.
“To explain, this is an option available to any applicant that they can ask council to cease assessment of the application, which they have done formally, so we can’t deal with the matter this evening,“ Cr Brian Stockwell said at the meeting.
Councillors said no to the development application in a motion unanimously supported at council’s general meeting on Monday last week, with a final decision on the application set down for their ordinary meeting.
Inconsistencies with the Noosa Plan 2020 that included being outside the urban growth boundary and inconsistent use of land zoned Recreation and Open Space, the clearing of vegetation in a known koala and glossy black cockatoo habitat, noise concerns and odour concerns, confliction with the State Planning Policy by being in proximity to a sewerage treatment plant (STP), were among the reasons given for the refusal.
Councillors also took into account a large number of “valid planning grounds“ raised by submitters indicating “an unacceptable level of impact on the amenity of the locality“ as well as a valid submission from Unitywater identifing potential risks and flow on costs associated with the proposed development in proximity to the STP.
The application, an initiative of GH Australia, the Australian arm of Hong Kong property and development firm, Golden Horse Group and owner of Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort, proposed the construction of a $50m, five-star hotel spanning five two and three storied buildings and featuring a two-level lagoon style swimming pool.
Council officers recommended the development application be approved, subject to conditions, on the site which is zoned partly for Tourist Accommodation and partly for Recreation and Open Space.
In their report, officers said documentation on odour impacts had been assessed and reviewed and “supported by Council’s consulting odour expert with conditions recommended to address use of outdoor areas and ventilation of the building at its interface with the accepted odour limit.
“The application has also demonstrated compliance with the car parking, bushfire, and water quality/quantity requirements of the Noosa Plan whilst variations to setbacks associated with the two-level car park and elevated tennis courts are supported,” the report stated.
