Residents warn council of short stay pain

There are concerns in Noosa Council that short-stay accommodation lettings may have reached saturation point in a popular Coast suburb.

Jon and Finola Thompson of Coral Beach Resort in Noosaville have objected to a home near their business being granted approval to provide short-stay accommodation.

A Noosa councillor has asked for more information about the number of short stays in Noosaville amid concerns that the holiday lettings may have already reached saturation point.

Council planners have recommended approval for a short stay development application it a medium density residential zone at Robert St.

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Staff have set a limit of eight people staying in the four-bedroom home, owned by Maxwell and Elaine Keegan, as part of a raft of conditions.

Councillors Karen Finzel and Tom Wegener have voiced reservations about the proliferation of short stays in the area in the wake of 18 local submissions objecting to the application and one in favour.

Jeanette Gentle of nearby Laburnum Cres in her submission said Robert St, Janet St, Cloudsley St and her street made up "one of the few places in Noosaville where predominantly houses are occupied by a permanent owner population".

The site of the short-stay rental application.

"When the Noosa Plan was reviewed, residents in this area were keen to safeguard it from Airbnb so that they are not forced to leave when the area became unliveable," Ms Gentle said.

"My main concern is the potential for increased noise, affecting my everyday lifestyle and mood.

"Late night parties will be a source of burden and anxiety for me as I am a light sleeper and work in a demanding job."

Coral Beach Noosa Resort resident managers Robert, Jon and Finola Thompson were also opposed to the approval despite supporting short-term letting in principle.

"We cannot support this application as there are currently no mechanisms in place to ensure the behaviour of the guests is supervised and managed effectively to minimise any impact on residential amenity," their submission said.

Part of the approval conditions would require a 24-hour contact number for property management or private security.

Janet St resident Jane Halliday, who has lived locally for 20 years, was the one supportive submission.

Noosa Council has produced a map showing short stays in the immediate Noosaville area of Roberts St.

"It's a fact of life living in this neighbourhood that dwellings in this area do in fact house a mixture of long term, short term and overnight accommodation," Ms Halliday said.

"I do not believe its application for change of use to short-term accommodation will have any detrimental effect and or affect other owner occupiers in the area," she said.

Cr Finzel at Tuesday's planning committee asked when the levels of short-stays in the area were going to reach saturation point, resulting in the area losing its residential amenity.

She has requested planning staff provide her with the number of approvals to help her make her final decision.

"This is a long-term future impact and is this the direction we want to take?" Cr Finzel said.

Cr Wegener said planning policy was set to maintain a primarily residential function for the area, but the area was already a holiday rental zone.

"You'll approve the application, you're giving this property (status) as a short-term rental forever and you are forever changing the dynamic of that primary residential area," he said.

"And I think it's past the tipping point already."

Senior town planner Kerri Coyle said short-stay accommodation was a consistent use under the council's assessment criteria.

"There is a lot of visitor accommodation in the area, have we reached the tipping point?" Ms Coyle said.

"I guess officers are saying no based on our research of short-term accommodation in the area.

"But if the expectation (is) that there's a higher balance of more permanents, which I guess that's what submitters are suggesting to us, then we should review that element."

The matter will be debated by council's general committee on Monday before a final vote next Thursday.

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