MCU14/0106 Submission PM Object - Mary Horan

Subject: MCU140106 - Submission - Mary Horan
From: Mary Horan
Date: 2015-07-30T05:09:23+00:00
To: Mailbox Council Mail

Good Afternoon, please be advised that I strongly oppose the Noosa Civic Development Application. 
I have lived in Noosa Heads for 3.5 years and also lived here for 6 mths in 1980. In addition I have regularly visited Noosa when I had lived elsewhere, thus am familiar with its growth. My opposition is based on the below (which are listed in now particular order):

1) Noosa does not require two more supermarkets, and we already have numerous and adequate discount shops in the area. 

2) The impact of Noosa Civic was drastic  for many years on the Junction retail and business precinct. In the past two years it has regained to a large degree it's past vibrancy and soul - this area is an important one to locals and tourists - both for retail and dining/entertainment. I do not want to see the businesses there struggle, particularly as most are small operators who provide wonderful services and products, and contribute to the fantastic vibe of the Noosa Heads area. Such a vibe will never be achieved at Noosa Civic.

3) Tourists who come to Noosa do not want to go to Civic whether it is at its current size or a larger version They come to Noosa to enjoy it as a bioshphere - man and nature together. They do not come to shop in the similar stores that they have at home and are having a holiday away from.

4)I work in Maroochydore and know that the half hour drive gives access to an immense range of retailing - that range can in no way be replicated at Civic no matter what size it is. Noosa residents  know that and if require the utmost of choice and options in shopping "on site" we travel to Maroochydore, where there is  the population to warrant the larger choice and also the traffic to exponentially to match. That is the Maroochy identity one which has been strived successfully for, not an identity to strive for in Noosa.

5) A large amount of consideration must be given to the strong and growing presence of 'non-onsite" shopping ie. online shopping. It is safe to assume that this will continue to impact on the struggling figures of major retailers.It makes no sense to increase retail space for shops may not be able to fight the internet shopping challenge.

6) In line with point 5, the United States has a large and growing number of totally vacant and derelict shopping malls. They are becoming ruins and housing criminal activity - this growing overseas trend must be considered.

7)Noosa residents embrace concepts of weekly food shopping at locations such as at the farmers markets in addition to our adequately stocked and staffed current supermarkets - 3 x  Woolworths , 1 x Coles, 1x Aldi and 2 x IGA. They do not embrace the suburban shopping mall mentality.

8) The current Noosa Civic struggled to find long term tenants for all of its retail space and had to fill up the shortfall with a gym. Interesting to note that the same happened in the retail space near McDonalds as well as the retail space near Officeworks. Why would we be convinced that the retail space will be fully tenanted to retail operations?

9) I am sure the expansion would impact unfavourably on the environment but I am not qualified to expand further on that.

Kind Regards,

Mary Horan
20 Stormbird Drive
Noosa Heads 4567
ph 0428 253 158