Amendments to restrict short-term accommodation and protect neighbourhoods for residents

Curbing the creep of short-term accommodation into residential areas and protecting neighbourhoods for permanent residents are a key focus of the planning scheme amendments, now out for comment. 

Council is seeking to protect neighbourhoods from the impacts of short-stay accommodation and minimise the loss of any more permanent housing stock to the short-stay market.

Strategy and Environment Director Kim Rawlings said the amendments will ensure new housing in medium and high-density residential areas is for permanent residents, and not visitors. 

Unless already approved, new short-term accommodation of whole dwellings will no longer be permitted in residential zones under the proposed changes to Noosa Plan.

“One of the proposed changes to Noosa Plan 2020 seeks to ensure any new short-stay accommodation is contained within the tourist accommodation zone. This is to prevent any more short-term properties from popping up in our residential areas,” she said.

“These changes seek to further help protect neighbourhoods from the impacts of short-stay properties and importantly minimise the loss of any more permanent housing stock to the short-stay market.

“Housing availability and affordability continues to be a major issue for our community and these amendments are the latest action by Council to manage and regulate short-term accommodation.”

Previously, Council brought in a local law that triggered an approval process and required all short-stay let property owners to appoint a 24-hour contact to act on complaints within 20 minutes.

“We also introduced a code of conduct for guests aimed at ensuring the conduct of guests does not impact on surrounding residents or amenity.”

The proposed amendments to the planning scheme will further regulate short-term accommodation by preventing this type of accommodation in residential areas, other than what is already approved.

“The only new short-term accommodation allowed in residential areas will be where a resident goes away and wants to let their home out for a maximum of four times and 60 days per year to short-stay guests.”

This use will still require local law approval and, like any other short-stay let property, the owner will need to nominate a contact person to deal with complaints about noise and other issues within 20 minutes.

It is also proposed that properties in rural and rural residential zones can be used for short-term accommodation such as cabins, farm stays and nature-based tourism only if the resident remains on site in their home.

Ms Rawlings said the community was calling on Council to address local housing issues. 

“And we know from recent consultation on the Destination Management Plan Discussion Paper that our community wants a more considered and sustainable approach to tourism,” Ms Rawlings said.

“Noosa offers plenty of accommodation for visitors within the existing tourism precincts without it further impacting resident housing supply and the amenity of our residential areas as well.

“The proposed amendments to Noosa Plan 2020 deliver on the actions of our Housing Strategy, developed with the community in 2022, and address the recommendations of the Short-term Accommodation Monitoring Report.

To find out more, and to have your say about the proposed amendments, visit yoursay.noosa.qld.gov.au before July 13.