2014-01-28 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                28 JANUARY 2014


    The office/education component of the proposal is relatively small and will serve to
     compliment the non-retail function and employment provision within Noosa Junction.
Council engaged an Economic Consultant, Jon Norling of Norling Consulting, to undertake a peer
review of the applicant’s needs assessment. Mr Norling’s review found a number of
shortcomings with the applicant’s assessment methodology but, overall, agrees with the findings.
In particular, Mr Norling agreed with the following findings:
    The more successful and incumbent Dan Murphy’s large liquor barn would significantly out-
     trade the proposed First Choice large liquor barn.
    The proposal would provide a community benefit [via increased competition and
     convenience of the commercial uses and overall enhancement of the function of the
     centre].
    The proposal would increase the provision of employment at Noosa Junction.
    The proposal would not cause undue impacts to the roles and functions of competing
     centres.
Mr Norling provided his own further opinion on the merits of the proposal, he states:
     It is our general assessment that there is a modest to strong level of planning need for the
     proposed facilities and that the proposed development would not significantly adversely
     affect the centre hierarchy or unduly impact upon the provision of services currently
     available to the public in this area [assuming that council will separately consider whether
     there is a need to retain the land for community purposes]. Reasons for this view are as
     follows:

          Hotels/taverns (defined as Commercial Hotels by the Office of Liquor and Gaming
           Regulation) in Queensland are typically provided at the rate of about one for every
           2,500 resident persons. However, this rate can vary from about one per 5,000
           residents in a dormitory residential neighbourhood to much less than one per 2,000
           persons in CBDs and tourist centres. In the defined Trade Area of about 35,000
           persons, there are eight hotels/taverns, providing a ratio of one per 4,375 residents.
           Despite an aged residential population (having a lower retail spend on alcohol), this is
           an established tourist destination that is able to support more than the existing eight
           hotels/taverns. Whilst a point not made by the updated Retail Liquor & Hotel
           Assessment, I note that some of the existing eight hotels/taverns provide less than
           the usual range of facilities, further supporting the provision of the proposed tavern.
          Whilst all hotels/taverns should cater for the sale of packaged alcohol, there is
           insufficient market support for each of them to provide a large liquor barn. These
           large liquor barns service a much larger catchment than a single hotel/tavern.
           Typically, one finds that most hotels/taverns provide only a small bottle shop attached
           to their facilities and up to three detached bottle shops located within shopping
           centres nearby. Consequently, it is usual for only about one in four or five taverns to
           actually provide a large liquor barn, which offers a much greater range and may
           typically also offer more products at discounted prices. A Trade Area population of
           about 35,000 persons and serviced by nine hotels/taverns (if the subject development
           is approved) is sufficient to support more than just the single existing large liquor barn
           (Dan Murphy’s at Noosaville). A second large liquor barn operated by an operator
           different from Dan Murphy’s can be expected to improve the community’s levels of
           choice, competition, range, service and pricing.




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