Over-development halted
One of the greatest threats to Noosa’s character has been averted.
The State-managed, State Facilitated Development (SFD) application process bypasses council and potentially allows apartment buildings of any height on any site in Noosa, if they contain some “affordable” housing.
Following through on a pre-election commitment made in the Noosa Mayor’s Office on Friday, October 4, the now Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has rejected a bid for a four-storey development in a two-storey zone in Tewantin.
The proposed development on Poinciana Avenue and Sidoni Street was assessed as over-scale and lacking sufficient car parking or clear evidence that any units would be genuinely affordable.
The Deputy Premier’s commitment to ensure all SFD projects must comply with the Noosa Planning Scheme is holding fast. The huge number of community submissions against the proposal added weight to the decision. The applicant is now free to work with planning staff to deliver housing that meets height limits.
Before the Minister’s intervention, this legislation had the potential to drastically change Noosa’s building profile and liveability forever.
For that we remain grateful and committed to addressing housing availability and genuine affordability through responsible planning.
Housing resolve
The community has clearly said all levels of government and industry must play a part in addressing this issue.
There’s no single solution. Council is amending the planning scheme and using advocacy and partnerships to create more housing opportunities and choice, while holding fast to the responsible planning principles that have shaped Noosa over many decades.
Council adopted its housing strategy in 2022 which included planning scheme amendments to encourage more small dwellings and housing choice within larger centres.
The amendments will restrict new short-term accommodation in all residential areas and business centres and ensure that medium and high-density residential zones work as intended, to provide multiple dwellings for permanent residents.
These amendments will also assist council’s work with church and other community groups to use their land for transitional and crisis housing.
Council is also helping community housing provider Coast2Bay deliver affordable housing on a Council site in Cooroy, plus working with the state to facilitate more social housing on State owned land across the shire and on a large site in Tewantin.
These are among 48 actions from the Housing Strategy.
PUBLIC ART
One percent of funds from new capital works projects valued at over $2million will be diverted towards public art for the shire.
The new Public Art Policy will ensure Noosa’s public art collection grows in a strategic way and provides more opportunities for artists.
Council has about 40 pieces of diverse public art, dating back to the 1970s, including small pieces of street furniture, through to large sculptural works such as Glen Manning and Kathy Daly’s “Bunya” Corten sculpture at the entry of the Cooroy Butter Factory.
The new approach supports work underway to select two major pieces of public art, funded through the Southeast Queensland (SEQ) City Deal Public Art Initiatives program.
Pomona Place Plan
Pomona’s Place Program has already delivered some quick wins for the town.
The Plan, developed in partnership with the Pomona community, will help make Pomona an even better place to live and includes actions related to the local economy, heritage, transport, connectivity, arts and environment.
Work started last year on a series of ‘quick wins’ for the town, in response to feedback during the process.
New timber park furniture was placed throughout the village, the Stan Topper Park BBQ area was revamped and sandstone block seating plus better lighting for the basketball half court was also installed following residents’ feedback.
There are funds in the current budget to fill missing pedestrian links between the high school campus and the village, and council is working with TMR on the Northern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy, to consider Pomona public transport improvements.
Pomona was selected as a pilot for Council’s new Place Program because of its distinct identity as an engaged community.
Placemaking is the designing and shaping of public spaces with a focus on improving the quality of life for the community.
This was a pilot project which will guide how we capture and respect the unique character of our other towns and villages across Noosa Shire.
As well as a strong prime focus on delivering core council services, council’s plans such as this and the Noosaville Foreshore Infrastructure Master Plan ensure future works respect what the community values and attract external grant funding to help make it happen.
