Report highlights conservative approach to short-stay approvals

A new monitoring report tabled in Council this week reinforces the conservative approach Council has taken to approving new short-term accommodation properties. 

The new planning scheme restricts further growth in the use of houses for short-term accommodation in the Low Density Residential zone, while the new short-stay letting local law applies a level of control over how they operate.

Contrary to recent commentary, the report showed Council issued just 18 new short-stay approvals over the past two years.

“Those 18 are the only brand-new approvals granted under the new planning scheme, and they are in locations where short-stay letting is permitted as a consistent use under our new town plan,” Mayor Clare Stewart said.

“We know the proliferation of short-stay properties is of great concern to our community given the current housing crisis and the impact short-stay properties have on residential amenity,” Cr Stewart said.

“Where a property owner has existing use rights or approval under a superseded planning scheme they have a legislative right to continue to use the property for short-stay.

“It’s the legacy of past planning schemes that we’re dealing with now in terms of the existing use rights.

“What we’ve been able to do through the introduction of the new planning scheme is restrict further growth in the use of houses for short-term accommodation in the Low Density Residential zone, while the new short-stay letting local law applies a level of control over how they operate.”

The 18 new approvals were for properties in Medium Density Residential, Rural or Rural Residential zones where short-term accommodation is a consistent use under the new planning scheme.

“Our community has told us they are concerned about short-stay properties, and Council has taken a conservative approach to approving any brand new ones,” the Mayor said.

The monitoring report flagged potential planning scheme amendments to the Noosa Plan 2020 to prevent future growth in short-term accommodation by making it an inconsistent use in all areas, except Tourist Accommodation zones.

Any proposed amendments to the planning scheme will be considered by Council and are subject to community consultation.

“It’s about ensuring any future short-stay let properties are in tourist areas, and that our residential areas are protected for permanent residents.”

Two years’ worth of data analysing the Noosa Plan 2020’s short-stay provisions and their impact on short-term accommodation, tourism and housing has provided the basis for the proposed planning scheme amendments.

The state government required the reporting as a condition of the short-stay changes included with gazettal of the new planning scheme.

“This is a really important body of work - we can’t make decisions if we don’t have the data and now we have it,” the Mayor said.

“The data has shown that making short-term accommodation an inconsistent use in the Low Density Residential zone has not been detrimental to the tourism industry."