2015-09-15 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                    15 SEPTEMBER 2015


Issues                                                          Comments
Noosa. Council’s NET commercial rate income would
decline because of the falling land values in the older
commercial districts. Small businesses employ more
people per dollar of sales than do large businesses so
longer tern NET employment would fall.
Most local retailers are already struggling to make ends
meet and they at least employ local people and use local
suppliers. The big franchises usually have their own
suppliers so would affect even the suppliers in this area.
A lot of time, money and energy has been devoted to trying
to enliven precincts like Noosa Junction and attract locals
and tourists to shop and socialise in these precincts. The
proposed expansion of Noosa Civic Centre will only attract
people away from local shopping precincts like the
Junction, making these areas less vibrant, and will create
more competition and more pressure on existing
businesses.
Adverse impacts of existing established retail precincts in
need of refurbishment or revitalisation.
There was no need for Noosa Civic to be developed as a
massive shopping centre before the existing commercial
precincts were approaching capacity and viability.
Sound decisions have been taken to limit the population of
the shire to give it a sustainable future. The consequence
of oversupply of commercial/shopping spaces is not only to
erode the viability and amenity of the shire’s existing
precincts but also to result in pressure to allow population
and residential density increases in an attempt to improve
the viability of commercial precincts.
Employment Diversification
Does not benefit the community or economy of the area as        It is agreed the development does not advance
it will only provide additional expensive retail and tourism    the SEQ Regional Plan or The Noosa Plan
focused employment which results in lower average wages         aspirations for employment diversification.
for the Shire.
Original developer sought concessions from Council to
construct the original shopping centre noting that the other
industrial, education, technical and office uses would be
developed at a later stage. Current app is a direct
contradiction to the original intent.
Proposal is contrary to all previous and current planning for
the NBC and will preclude the NBC ever achieving its
desired role of accommodating new business and new
employment opportunities beyond the retail sector
Contravenes the original plans for Hit Tech area or “Silicon
Valley” using fibre optic cable which was to balance the
original development
Noosa have very little open land left for development and
that should be reserved for projects which create genuinely
new jobs in new fields to diversify our employment base
Precinct E1 should be preserved for potential higher order
uses such as government offices and / or research arms of
government
Tourism
Tourists do not want to go to Noosa Civic. They come to         It is agreed the development will not significantly
Noosa to enjoy it as a biosphere. They can shop at home.        increase tourism.
Noosa Civic is to too far out of Noosa for tourist to access.


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