Patricia Spicer

PATRICIA SPICER QUESTION 1 How much of the $3.3 million initial budget allocation has been used in the process of investigating, getting reports, subdivision, tree clearing and remediation planning for 62 Lake Macdonald Drive, Cooroy? Please include when the budget allocation was made and the details of costings for each report and plan that has been done for 62 Lake Macdonald Drive, Cooroy to date. If investigations/plans/reports were done prior to this budget allocation, what was the cost of these and how was this cost met? Answer provided by Kim Rawlings Director Strategy and Environment Thanks Pat for your questions. None/very little of the $3.3m has been used for the investigations. This allocation is in the 24/25 budget for delivery costs/ remediation and civil works. The budget allocation for site investigations was $500,000 in the 23/24 budget. Most investigation expenditure was completed under this budget year with some carry overs in the first half of current FY. Most of the plans and reports undertaken form part of the civil works package, approvals and remediation package. The total expenditure for the investigations to date is approx. $380,000 . Important to note Council was successful in a $178,00 Federal grant that contributed to these costs. QUESTION 2 Council has in Item C of the resolution from the Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting dated 23 January 2025 approved all remediation and subdivision works to create Lots 1, 2 and 3 of the 62 Lake Macdonald site. Council in Part D has seemingly made Part C contingent on a loan or grant. Some at Council have publicly described the resolution "as a once in a generation opportunity for the Shire," (to definitely have 25 social housing units built). Part E uses the word "should". QUESTION: Does council have a rational basis to approve remedial works before even tenders, a loan or a grant has been obtained? What is council's strategy to give credibility that the rate payers of the shire will be given a genuine opportunity to influence the final development of Lots 2 and 3, if it even proceeds - when the only obligation on council is that it "should"? How could a grant be offered to council (or a loan be taken) to remediate Lots 1, 2 and 3 if most of the land becomes public open space parkland... in Noosa shire of all places? Surely the insistence of council to seek loans or grants ties Lot 2 and 3 to housing on a significant scale and casts considerable doubt over Part E of the resolution? There are four aspects of this question; please address each aspect in your answer. Answer provided by Kim Rawlings Director Strategy and Environment Council considers that it has a duty of care to clean up contaminated land and make it (the land) available for future uses. Currently no community uses can be undertaken on the land including for cemetery purposes because of the contamination. The remediation work will unlock the land so that it can be used for community needs. A cost estimate of the remediation work was undertaken to gain an understanding of the cost of the work. It is normal process to seek endorsement with a cost estimate and then go to tender. The Council resolution of 23 January 2025 clearly indicates that investigations for proposed Lots 2 and 3 consider a range of land uses and include community consultation. The residents closest to the site have been consulted and their concerns have been taken on board with the revised subdivision layout and going forward will continually be kept up to date on the process to remediation and subdivision work and be consulted on the range of potential uses for the remaining lots. Local Government are able to access loans (subject to meeting certain requirements) to deliver essential infrastructure. There are a range of opportunities that are available to Local Government that may not necessarily tie the proposed future lots to any particular outcome. As per the resolution of Council from January Housing will be part of the consideration for these lots.