164-172 Shelley St, Burnett Heads 4670 QLD

Potential impacts from this development are as listed below:
1. This allotment is currently home to wildlife such as kangaroos, echidna, birds, snakes etc. Turtles will be affected by, street, traffic house lights. There environment will be disturbed.
2. Dust from traffic coming off of the unsealed Shelley Street is already an issue for current residents. How will the increased traffic of future residents living on the seven blocks be managed so it doesn't impact current residents further?
3. Poor drainage is already an issue for the neighbourhood. How will the run off from the homes in the seven new blocks be managed?
4. Light coming from traffic out of these blocks will impact residents living at 137 - 131 Shelley Street.

Potential Impacts
1. Poor drainage already an issue in streets behind the development, where is the drainage to this development going?
2. Wildlife already in the area, kangaroos, birds, echidnas, snakes, lizards, the corridor for their habitat is getting smaller & smaller
3. So many developments in the area already, Boat Harbour estate, Gateway Marina, Kinch St, 63 Sea Park road just sold hopefully not to a developer, where is the infrastructure to sustain the amount of people coming to live in the area, Hospital already at crisis point, 10,000 aged care packages on waiting list for services
4. Development between two known Sea turtle nesting sites, Oak Beach & Mon Repos, the light from potentially 2-3 story buildings will impact an already fragile ecosystem
This is a world renowned area for the most significant loggerhead nesting turtle population in the South Pacific region
5. Dust from Shelley Street the unsealed section already impacts houses in the area an increase in traffic from an extra 7 lots will increase dust in the area

Upon reading the development application in detail, I note there are numerous positive steps taken by the developer. The add in of a sealed walk way to the Turtle Trail is a big gain for the community and has been long awaited.
Light restrictions for potential buyers to have outside louvers on all windows to control light for the turtles is all positive. All light will be directed downward to control light out at sea for the turtles. The developer has actually put a lot of emphasis on control of light, more than any previous building development in the region.
Homes are all to be constructed out of non reflective materials. That would put surfmist/shale grey roofs out of the equation as they are very reflective at night. Once again there has not been any restrictions of this strength on new home builds along the sea front before and a positive move by the developer. This restriction would make Monument and Charcoal high on the list of suitable colours especially at night. Both have become popular colours in recent years for their ability to blend into the environment especially along our charcoal rock sea front.

Given the traffic dust that already floats across this development from the unsealed Shelley Street and that dust always shows up badly on dark colours, potential owners will need to be aware that they will have ongoing problems keeping their homes clean from dust especially in the dry season when the traffic dust in this region does become unbearable. Windows on the side that the dust comes from can seldom we left open because of traffic dust. The restrictions of outside louvers will be a help to residents within this development. If potential owners have respiratory problems they should also be aware that traffic dust in this area is extremely bad and always been a major problem. The popularity of Mon Repos Beach, the Turtle Trail for exercise, fishing etc, the increase in population to the area, and a privately owned caravan camping site on Shelley Street has increased traffic dust considerably. Current residents have had to control dust through constant watering (water bills are high) and the planting of thick vegetation which unfortunately takes time to mature and do there intended role. Dust is also very hard on wear and tear of building products. Painting is a regular expense. Council to date has not offered any resolutions for residents and the sealing of this road is not listed in their future road works plans. These current elements should be taken into consideration by potential buyers.

The developer has also placed high emphasis on drainage. I note a grassed 4m wide drain will be constructed at the back of lots 5 & 6 along the side of a current residents home. The current resident to date has been mowing and keeping this area very clean. I'm assuming to keep snakes away from his home and assist with drainage also. I'm assuming this drainage works will become the responsibility of the new owners of lots 5 & 6 to control overgrowth of grass so it sufficiently alows water to drain smoothly. Will Council be monitoring that this does happen so the drain does not become a nuisance to the current resident who currently maintains this area. Current grass drains in the region constructed by Council to control drainage issues are mostly maintained by current residents as council do not have the resources to maintain them sufficiently. Without constant maintenance they are a haven for snakes. It is a concern to me that potential development and growth in the region will over load this already lack of resources even further.
In moving forward the developer seems to have added to this development more kerb and channelling than is required for Rural Residential blocks by Council. I feel his doing his upmost to control drainage through kerb and channelling on the 7 lots he is developing by directing run off toward the sea front. However, I did not read in the development application a works plan that shows how Councils existing drainage system on the Shelley Street frontage of this development will be managed.
There are as always negatives about any development but I have positivity about it happening and I am looking forward to watching this development take shape and welcome it eventuating.