A long planned affordable housing development at Lake Macdonald Drive, Cooroy, has secured key approvals, with all councillors voting in support as community debate continues over the future of housing in the shire.
The proposal will deliver 25 small, high-quality one- and two-bedroom social housing units and a communal area on a 3,158 square metre parcel of council-owned land, identified as Future Lot 1 at 64 Lake Macdonald Drive. The site, a former landfill unused since the 1950s, has been fully remediated, with civil works underway to subdivide the land into three lots.
Mayor Frank Wilkie said the homes would assist families, young people and seniors listed on the Queensland Social Housing Register. “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.”
To ensure transparency, an independent planning consultant reviewed the application because Noosa Council is both the landowner and a project partner. The project is governed by a Capital Funding Agreement with the Department of Housing, requiring the site be used for social housing in perpetuity, with a state-held mortgage placed over the land.
Registered community housing provider Coast2Bay Housing Group has secured significant Queensland Government funding to build and manage the development. “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,” Mayor Frank said.
In response to neighbour feedback, the subdivision design now includes a 10-metre vegetated buffer, double the original proposal, and an additional 2,500 square metres of open space. Community consultation will also occur on the remaining 14,000 square metres of land, with potential future uses including open space, cultural heritage projects, further housing or other community purposes.
Councillor Karen Finzel also approves of the unanimous decision, describing affordable housing as essential to Noosa’s long-term sustainability.
Speaking following the Ordinary Meeting on 19 February, Karen said the approved development application for a material change of use marked an important step in addressing the housing crisis locally. “As the housing crisis deepens across Queensland, its impact is being felt acutely here in the Noosa Shire,” she said.
Karen said affordable housing must form part of a broader, long-term commitment to housing equity if Noosa is to remain both beautiful and liveable. She described housing as foundational infrastructure underpinning workforce stability, business viability, educational continuity and community wellbeing. She said the goal was to create an inclusive community where everyone has access to safe, secure housing they can afford, regardless of age, mobility or income, consistent with Noosa’s status as a UNESCO biosphere.
“Some argue that affordable housing threatens the character of Noosa. The greater risk, however, lies in inaction,” she said. “A community hollowed out of key workers and diverse households is not sustainable. Social cohesion depends on inclusion. It is about giving a child stability at school, enabling a nurse to live near the hospital where she cares for us, ensuring a local worker can contribute to the economy they sustain. When housing becomes unattainable, inequity widens and social cohesion frays.”
Karen said the process had unfolded over several years, involving neighbours, broader community consultation, feasibility studies and alignment with state and local housing strategies. “Affordable housing is not just about buildings; it is about dignity,” she said, pointing to essential workers commuting long distances, older women facing housing insecurity, and young families priced out of their hometown.
“Everything is interconnected. All of us understand the notion that social equity strengthens environmental stewardship. Secure housing strengthens participation. Participation strengthens our democracy.”