Unnecessary restrictions on Peregian SLSC should be removed

This submission to the Draft Noosa Plan was prepared by LEIGH McCREADY on behalf of a group of about 200 people in the Peregian area who are concerned to ensure the operation of a sustainable surf life saving club at this popular beach.

Peregian needs a fully functional surf life saving club 

I am a supporter of a fully operating surf lifesaving club at Peregian Beach. I would like to submit the following recommendations in response to the Draft Noosa Town Plan which is currently open for public consultation.

My principal concern is around the future of the Peregian Surf Club, and the other current community uses and facilities in the Peregian Park.

1. Council’s Coastal Building Line

The State coastal building lines have been included to regulate, if necessary, building works on coastal land most seriously at risk of erosion. The addition of the building line, aligned with the eastern edge of the Peregian Surf Club, is arbitrary and without sound technical reason.

This arbitrary line means that under the proposed coastal protection code, existing structures seaward of this line cannot be replaced. At Peregian Beach, this means the lifeguard tower, covered skate bowl, barbecue sheds, and covered children’s playground cannot be replaced. This will significantly detract from the function of the park for recreation purposes.

My recommendation is that the Coastal Building Line be removed from Peregian Park.

2. Existing uses of the Peregian Park

Currently there are significant, long established community uses of Peregian Park such as the Peregian Originals, Peregian Christmas Carols provided by the Peregian Surf Club, Peregian Movie Nights, Peregian Surf Club activities such as cleaning of surf lifesaving equipment, and Peregian Markets.

Currently these uses are inconsistent with the current town plan under the open space conservation zoning. These current uses are supported by the community, and accordingly, a new town plan should specifically and generally authorise these (and other) significant, community uses in the Peregian Park as accepted development without the need for an Approval.

I have noted the re-zoning of much of Peregian Park and believe this more appropriately reflects the use of the park.

3. The Coastal Protection Overlay and Code

The code refers to coastal hazard maps prepared by Noosa Council as part of its Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan. An objective of the adaptation plan is to provide greater accuracy of the areas potentially affected by coastal hazards (erosion prone areas), to enable better land-use planning.

The stated intent of coastal erosion mapping is that any proposed development “seaward” of these lines triggers a further level of assessment. The intent is not that this should halt development, but rather, scrutinise proposed development “seaward” of the line. Council’s own project director and external consultants have advised Council that the mapping is only to serve as a trigger for further assessment. However, the draft town plan proposes to prohibit future development within Coastal hazard areas.

My recommendation is that the code be amended to ensure that any development seaward of Coastal Hazard mapping lines should trigger further assessment, rather than prohibit development.

4. Peregian Park

Peregian Park is recognised by Council’s own reports that it serves more than just the local community. The area proposed to be zoned Recreation and Open Space by Noosa Council extends further south and north of the existing developed park, which suggests the Council recognises that the current footprint of the Peregian Park is not sufficient.. However, much of the park is subject to the Biodiversity Overlay.

My recommendation is that the Biodiversity Overlay is adjusted to align with the Recreation and Open Space zoning, facilitating the future requirements of the recognised, expanded Peregian Park.

5. Use of a Club in the Recreation and Open Space zone

Under the draft plan, “Club”, which includes a Surf Lifesaving Club means the use of the premises for:

a) An association established for social, literary, sporting, athletic or other similar purposes; or

b) Preparing and selling food or drink, if the use is ancillary to the use in paragraph (a).

The building was constructed with considerable community funds and volunteer hours, so the new Plan should authorise, within the reserve, the Surf Lifesaving Club as accepted development.

Under the proposed plan, any re-development of the Peregian Surf Club requires an advertised permit (impact assessable) material change of use. In particular, any development is constrained in that any building associated with the (Surf Lifesaving) use cannot exceed 300m2 of gross floor area (GFA) under code assessment. The current clubhouse exceeds this and has approximately 1200m2 of GFA.

Already (with the current limited use due to historical financial difficulties) the club is constrained with its existing footprint and needs to expand at the very least to build a permanent first aid room. The proposed 300m2 would not even be enough to service the nippers, and paid lifeguards. Experts have advised that 1,050m2 is required for just the ground floor, for Life Saving operations.

My recommendation is that the allowable GFA is increased from 300m2, to at least 1,500m2, reflecting the current requirements of Surf Lifesaving in Peregian. The plan also needs to allow flexibility in this, to cater for future anticipated growth in the Peregian catchment for surf lifesaving.

6. Future Surf Lifesaving Clubs to be reserved and included in Draft Town Plan

It is recognised that north of Coolum to (and including) Noosa North Shore is an area that has substantial, preventable drowning deaths. It is envisaged that future additional surf lifesaving clubs will be required to provide ongoing beach safety that can accommodate the users of theses beaches. The draft town plan does not consider nor facilitate future Surf Lifesaving Clubs.

My recommendation is that Council recognises the importance of preventing avoidable drowning deaths, and designates coastal areas projected to be utilised by beach-goers, to have areas reserved for future Surf Lifesaving Clubs.