MCU10/2083 Development Application part 2 - Attachment 4 - Economic Impact and Need Assessment

           Family Structure

                 •    Due to the age structure, the total trade area is dominated by couples
                      without children households (many of whom are empty nesters) at
                      40.1%. These contribute to a lower average household size of 2.31,
                      below the SCSD and Queensland (2.49 and 2.60 respectively).
                 •    The proportion of couple only households is especially high in the
                      secondary trade area at 43.6% of all households. While the primary
                      trade area is also dominated by couples without children households
                      (39.4%), around one-quarter of its households are lone persons (25.3%).

           Employment

                 •    Employment characteristics differ notably within the total trade area
                      and Queensland. The older age structure of the area is reflected in the
                      lower workforce participation rates than Queensland (57.4% compared
                      to 66.3%) and fewer employed persons per household (1.1 compared to
                      1.3).
                 •    Unemployment for the trade area (4.5%) as at the 2006 Census was
                      below the SCSD (4.7%) and above Queensland (5.7%). Unemployment
                      ranged from a low of 2.4% in the secondary trade area to 5.0% in the
                      primary trade area.
                 •    More recent unemployment data as at the March quarter 2010 indicate
                      that the Noosa-Noosaville Statistical Local Area (comprising the total
                      trade area) had an unemployment rate of 7.6% compared to 5.6% in
                      Queensland.

           Average Household Income

                 •    Average household income in the total trade area is estimated at
                      $68,907 per annum (in 2009 dollar values), which is around 13% above
                      the SCSD average ($60,995) and on par with the Queensland average
                      ($69,243).
                 •    Average household income is higher in the secondary trade area
                      ($74,626 compared to $67,687 in the primary trade area) reflecting the
                      higher workforce participation rate and lower unemployment rate.

           Housing

                 •    The total trade area has a lower proportion of detached/semi-detached
                      dwellings (81.8%) than the SCSD (86.5%) and Queensland (87.2%).
                 •    The primary trade area has a notably higher share of attached dwellings
                      (20.0%) compared to all other areas highlighting the concentration of
                      retirees and correspondingly lower average household sizes.
                 •    Dwelling ownership levels are higher in the secondary trade area
                      (67.9%) coinciding with higher average household incomes in the
                      secondary trade area.

Noosaville Convenience Centre EIA
10034 Rev 1
19 October 2010                                  17