Neighbours of a prime leafy block in Noosa Heads that was shortlisted for social housing are “elated” that plans have been dropped after an outcry.
The council was considering 30 Toulambi Street as a location to build affordable housing, such as a five-bedroom share house, to help alleviate the town’s crisis.
However, after further investigation, councillors unanimously agreed the block was not suitable for a number of reasons and will give it environmental protection instead.
The problems included constraints in relation to vegetation, hydrology, bushfire, slope and the fact that residents cherished the block as an extension of the neighbouring Pinaroo Park.
Councillors agreed on Monday not to proceed with any further investigation at 30 Toulambi Street for social or affordable housing, which is expected to be ratified on Thursday.
Council would also amend the town plan and revert the location’s zoning from ‘low density residential’ back to ‘environmental management and conservation’ after it was changed without residents knowing.
The council is continuing to investigate other council-owned blocks in the shire for their potential for affordable housing, in particular one at Lake Macdonald Drive Cooroy.
David McCready, who lives next door to the 790sqm block which he called a “treasure”, said locals were very pleased with the outcome after a stressful number of weeks in which they thought the trees and animals were doomed.
“We were quite elated; this is what we wanted, to see those trees remain on that land as it has for years,” said Mr McCready.
“There was a general joyousness among us about it; we were very pleased.”
Mr McCready said residents had only learned of the council’s plans after reading an article published by Sunshine Coast News.
“Lucky we got wind of it otherwise the chainsaws would be here,” he said.
Mr McCready along with animal rescuer Goetz von Schweinfurth and flying fox rescuer Jan Davey presented a 15-minute deputation to Noosa Shire Council’s general committee meeting on Monday.
Mayor Clare Stewart said the site would get the environmental protections local residents called for.
“We’ve listened to our residents who have told us how much they value the open greenspace this land provides and its connection to Pinaroo Park, plus our own ecological study shows it is home to some koala and glossy black-cockatoo food trees,” she said.
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“Applying an Environmental and Conservation Zone to the land will give these ecological values recognition and safeguard the site for the future. It also respects residents’ feedback in our recent Liveability Survey, naming environmental protection and management of open spaces among their top priorities.”
Council will rezone the land as part of a future round of planning scheme amendments.
The council owned-land on Toulambi Street is not parkland but backs onto Pinaroo Park, a large green space on Noosa Drive behind the Noosa Junction shops.
It was previously zoned as ‘open spaces’ but was changed to ‘low density residential’ during the pandemic in June 2020 which residents say they were never told about.
Mr McCready said residents had been tending to the site for years, weeding and planting and acting as guardians of the green space which he said was home to koalas and flying foxes among other fauna.
Flora included Queensland Kauri, Queensland Red Cedar, koala food trees, mahogany gum, kauri pine, silky oak, red mahogany, blue quandong, white cypress pine, tuckeroo, and an ancient paperbark melaleuca.
The council-commissioned ecological report found that the vegetation on the site served as a protective buffer for more sensitive habitat in adjoining Pinaroo Park.
“While we can’t revisit planning approvals granted by previous councils as far as glossy black-cockatoo habitat is concerned, this action will ensure one area with glossy black food trees is protected from development,” Cr Stewart said.
Councillors also voted to prepare an updated management plan for Pinaroo Park as part of upcoming budget deliberations.
“It’ll give us an opportunity to take a wide review of the park, look at whether there are opportunities for the community to get involved in looking after the area, investigate threats to habitat and generally take a look at the health of the park and how we’re managing it.”
