NOOSA CIVIC submission

sustainable and diverse the local economy. Land is limited in the Noosa Shire and therefore
any significant departure from the Noosa Plan must clearly demonstrate that it will benefit the
community and economic base not prejudice future development or growth. The QIC
development application has not demonstated that this will be achieved.



      8.   The QIC development application fails to recognize or address the changes to
           retail shopping patterns such as the rise of on-line shopping which has
           significantly impacted on the retail sales.

The proposed QIC development application concentrates on the loss of retail to the adjoining
centre of Maroochydore however fails to recognize that on-line shopping is having a
significant impact on the retail centres and that many major shops and centres are closing.
The application fails to address this significant change in retail centres and therefore the
potential for further vacant tenancies and failure of the centre is an option.

The QIC development application fails to account for the current vacancies that the Noosa
Civic has noting that it is less than 10 years old and despite substantial rent free periods and
undercutting rent in the area, the centre has had tenancies that have never been leased.


      9.   The QIC development application does not benefit the community or economy
           of the area as it will only provide additional expensive retail and tourism
           focused employment which results in lower average wages for the Shire.

The average wage for residents of Noosa is generally 20% less than the Queensland average
(Australian Bureau of Statistics) which is due to a high percentage of casual retail and tourism
related industry. Noosa needs to focus on increasing and varying the economic based by
providing quality jobs not more casual retail orientated jobs. The QIC development application
will only increase casual retail jobs and therefore does not assist in improving the Noosa
economic base.

      10. The original developer of the site 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. The
          current application is a direct contradiction to this original intent.

The original developer sought concessions for development of the site indicating that the non
residential component of the site would be developed at a later date. Council agreed to the
current Civic form on this basis. This new application is a further breach of the original
development and Noosa Plan and there is no significant benefit to the community.



3.0             CONCLUDING COMMENTS


The provisions of The Noosa Plan 2006 were adopted to strategically guide and steer the
expansion of the SBC to cater for community needs and to include a variety of uses including
business, employment, open space, residential and recreational mixed uses.             More
specifically, Precinct E1 has been designated as a major employment node and is to include
technology based research and development, business offices and civic land uses.

The QIC development application proposes to include predominately retail uses including a
super market, department store and speciality stores. Of the sixteen (16) uses proposed, only
six (6) remain consistent with the provisions of The Noosa Plan 2006.

The QIC development application over Precinct E1 remains inconsistent with the DEO’s, SBC
Assessment Table, Overall Outcomes for the Noosaville Locality, Specific Outcomes and