A former landfill site – unused since the 1950s – is set to be developed to provide a community with affordable social housing.
Twenty‑five small, high-quality affordable homes planned for a previously unusable Noosa Council‑owned former landfill site in Cooroy secured a key approval last week.
Mayor Frank Wilkie said the one and two-bedroom social housing units would help address Noosa’s housing crisis for families, young people and seniors who are listed on the Queensland Social Housing Register.
Registered community housing provider Coast2Bay Housing Group secured significant Queensland Government funding to build the units.
Coast2Bay’s development application sought approval for 25 small dwellings and a communal area on a 3158‑sqm parcel within the Community Facilities Zone, identified as Future Lot 1 at 64 Lake Macdonald Drive, Cooroy.
Council unanimously approved the development application at a General Committee Meeting on February 16. During the Ordinary Meeting on February 19, council moved to approve the application. In response to a public question, it was noted that while 25 units were currently approved, the site could potentially support another 60 dwellings across two remaining lots.
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To ensure a transparent and robust assessment, an independent planning consultant reviewed council’s internal assessment because council is the current landowner and a project partner.
“The independent review confirmed staff’s assessment of the proposal aligns with the planning scheme and will deliver substantial community benefit in the form of much‑needed housing,” the mayor said.
The former landfill site has been fully remediated and civil works to subdivide the land into three lots are currently underway.
The project is governed by a Capital Funding Agreement with the Department of Housing, requiring the site to be used for social housing in perpetuity, with a state‑held mortgage placed over the land.
“This project represents a significant investment by Coast2Bay to provide new social housing so more Noosa locals displaced by the housing crisis have a place to call home,” Cr Wilkie said.
In response to feedback from neighbouring residents, the land subdivision includes a 10m vegetated buffer – double the original proposal – and an additional 2500 square-metres of open space.
“Housing is a whole of community issue and collaboration between industry, all levels of government and the community is essential,” Cr Wilkie said.
Community consultation will be undertaken on the remaining 14,000 square metres of land, with potential uses including open space, cultural heritage projects, further housing and other community purposes.
“In 2022, council endorsed the Noosa Housing Strategy, which identified steps we could take to help address this nationwide crisis,” Cr Wilkie said.
“This project is a direct outcome of that strategy and responds to the urgent call for us to do what we could to assist those without the dignity and basic human right of a roof over their heads.”
