A local council’s refusal of a proposed hospital expansion will be appealed, with the developers preparing to fight the decision in court.
In August last year, Ramsay Health Care lodged a development application with Noosa Council to build an extension of Noosa Hospital on a nearby site.
It applied for a Material Change of Use for Health Care Service and Hospital at 47 Goodchap Street, Noosaville.
The 3971sqm block is currently zoned for residential and labelled as “needed to cater for future housing”.
The site also currently contains a residential dwelling and shed, and shares its boundaries with seven residential properties, plus Noosa Hospital.
At its Ordinary Meeting on September 21, 2023, Noosa Council refused the development application due it it being “contrary to the Noosa Plan 2020”.
On October 26, 2023, Noosa Privatised Hospital lodged a notice of appeal with the Queensland Planning and Environment Court.
It seeks to fight the decision and establish a hospital and healthcare service that would include a day surgery and associated medical facilities with a total ground floor area of 1536sqm.
The development would include a single-storey infusion centre located at the front of the site, plus a two-storey day surgery located over basement carparking to the rear of the site.
The buildings would include reception and waiting areas, administrative and staff amenities area, equipment and supply storage, recovery areas, waste storage and plant, plus 40 carparking spaces.
In a statement to Sunshine Coast News, Noosa Council said it considered the proposed development is of scale and character that is likely to adversely impact on the amenity of residents and the streetscape.
Development assessment manager Patrick Murphy said council would defend the application before the Planning and Environment Court.
“The planning scheme seeks that the use of the hospital site be maximised with further health services co-located on the existing hospital site,” he said.
“The adjacent lot is better suited for residential development and is required for future housing,” he said.
Mr Murphy said the applicant had also failed to demonstrate that sufficient parking would be provided on site to meet the likely demand.
A development assessment manager’s report presented to the Noosa Council at the January 15 General Committee Meeting outlined the proposed development could be accommodated on several other sites including the Noosa Business Centre, Noosa Junction, the Mary Street/Thomas Street health precinct and Maple Street, Cooroy.
According to the report, this would mean “negating the need to extend health services further into residential zoned properties along Goodchap Street”.
Sunshine Coast News reached out to Ramsay Health Care for comment and received the response: “We have nothing to add.”
The matter is listed for review on March 21.
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