Brian O’Connor

1. BRIAN O’CONNOR Question 1. With just a few parcels of land available at the Cooroy Business Park and industrial park and the council actively examining these sites for affordable housing, will Noosa Council undertake a study into the likely take-up of available commercial land in the Noosa Hinterland over the next 10 years, with a view to ascertaining where to locate and rezone suitable additional and flood-free land for rural enterprise and commercial activities so as to grow and diversify the local economy? Response by Leo Jensen, Acting Director Environment & Sustainable Development Council is not actively examining the sites you mention for housing. Council will be undertaking an Employment Land Review next year. This study will look at supply and demand for employment land across the Shire. The study will consider the changing trends in employment land both commercial and industrial. The exact timing for this study is not yet determined. Question 2: Noosa Council regularly must deal with complaints about inappropriate backyard businesses creating nuisance for neighbours or wanting to expand in-situ. When the council acts on complaints, or refuses expansion, what is to happen to these businesses or where can they relocate? Similarly, work-from-home desktop computer businesses and so-called 'next-generation' digital start-ups look to co-locate to a business hub offering creative and practical synergies of co-habitation. What is Noosa Council doing to facilitate this type of job-creation economic activity in the hinterland, where a younger cohort of people is moving for lifestyle and a relatively cheaper mortgage? Response by Leo Jensen, Acting Director Environment & Sustainable Development The last few years has shown how easily many people can work from home, and likewise many residents choose to purchase a high proportion of their goods over the internet having them delivered. Most home-based businesses cause very little impact or concern and can continue and are supported in the Noosa Plan. There are vacancies in the various town centres with underdeveloped sites remaining. There remains flood-free undeveloped industrial land in Cooroy. Council also has established the Peregian Digital Hub which attracts people to it from all over the Shire. Start-ups do not need to be a tenant of the Hub to benefit from the range of programs and ecosystem support available for those working in the digital sector in the Shire. This includes the Digital Tribes Networks, and a number of professional development events regularly hosted at the Hub (both in person and online). Council is satisfied that there are opportunities available should home-based businesses outgrow their premises.