Arcare aims for 90-bed facility opposite local hospital

Arcare says aged care need urgent while others object

AGED APPLICATION: The block opposite the Noosa Hospital could be the next aged care centre despite local objections. Picture: Peter Gardiner

A NEW two-storey 90-bed aged care facility opposite Noosa Hospital is needed as the shire faces an estimated 250-bed shortfall by 2026.

That is according to an Arcare development application for housing blocks at Goodchap Street and Val Crescent submitted to Noosa Council, which is yet to be decided, but has attracted 96 public objections.

And at least one nearby neighbour is concerned homes have already been snapped up from the proposed development site and are uninhabited.

"It's gone - like Dodge City,” Stan Quin said of the street's neighbourhood feel.

"I always envisaged this street would be a nice little street, but now it's a ghost street.

"We feel we've been left in the dark over this.”

Mr Quin "does not feel too bad” about the proposed aged care usage, but was concerned that staff parking could clog up the suburban street. He said he had counted about 50 vehicles regularly on the street at another aged care facility.

Mr Quin said he could not understand why the Noosa Council refused a previous application for the site for a medical and business centre.

"At least that would have operated 9-5, whereas an aged care centre will have to operate 24/7,” he said.

The application said the primary access for car parking and service vehicles was proposed from Val Cres.

"A secondary access point at the main building entry for drop-off/pick-up and emergency vehicles is proposed from Goodchap St.

A total of 52 car spaces, including two disabled spaces, are provided.

The site comprises 6742 square and presently contains nine detached houses and two vacant allotments. Arcare said there were about 556 aged care beds currently in the Noosa area with a further three facilities approved, which if built would provide a further 298 beds.

"There are a very few number of sites both suitable, and available, for retirement villages and aged care facilities across Noosa,” the application said.

The applicant said the council's future planning indicated Noosa was ageing at a faster rate than the rest of Queensland, with even the "youngest” suburb having a median age of 42.3 years.

Arcare said by 2036, almost a third of the shire's population would fall into the 65 years-plus age group.

"It is important to note that the proposed Arcare facility has already been allocated 90 bed licences from the Federal Government.”

Arcare said the project had clear economic benefits.

It forecasts "158 full-time equivalent jobs during the construction phase and a further 178 full-time equivalent jobs during the ongoing operations phase” will be created.

Council development assessment manager Kerri Coyle said planning staff were assessing the application.

"The applicant previously placed the application on hold in order to provide additional traffic information, which is now with council,” Ms Coyle said.

"Council received 109 submissions during the public notification period, with 96 of those being objections to the proposed development.

"Staff will review all of the submissions as part of the assessment process and report the application to a future council meeting for a decision.”