MCU14/0106 & OPW15/0001 Information Request Response Report (absent appendices)

                                                                                                        Noosa Civic Expansion
                          28 Eenie Creek Road, Noosaville and parts of the road reserves of Hofmann Drive and Walter Hay Drive



            (a) the proposal retains sufficient capacity in the SBC to enable the delivery of a multi-function
                employment business and employment centre;
            (b) the proposal is only one stage of the development of the SBC;
            (c) the proposal is consistent with the normal and logical sequencing of the development of major
                mixed use centres, in that retail uses are developed first;
            (d) the proposal will create a strong retail base for the SBC which is critical to the development
                of a new higher order centre which is to be the principal business, retail and administrative
                centre for an area;
            (e) the strong retail base which the proposal will create will assist in attracting locationally-free
                non-retail business and employment opportunities as such non-retail businesses are more
                likely to invest in an established, successful centre with high amenity and visitation, than one
                that is only partially developed;
            (f)   the proposal will, itself, create employment opportunities across a range of skill levels in the
                  retail sector; and
            (g) there is an identified need for additional retail floor space in Noosa and the SBC is the
                identified locality to provide the highest order facilities – no other location in The Noosa Plan
                has any policy support to meet this demand.
            Further retail GFA within the SBC has been justified on the basis of a demonstrated need, now
            and in the future, for the proposed expansion as shown by the extent of escape expenditure and
            projected growth. While it will affect other centres in the trade area to varying degrees, the role
            and function of those other centres will remain unaltered. Furthermore in order to achieve its
            intended function, it is critical that the core retail component of the centre expands to a size and
            composition which can provide the vitality and critical mass necessary to function as an attractor
            for the employment-generating, civic and administrative activities which must co-locate and
            consolidate the centre.
            There is currently limited demand for non-retail uses in the SBC. A range of businesses and
            industries were consulted to determine the level of interest for non-retail development on the site,
            including education uses (universities and TAFE), commercial uses, entertainment uses (cinema
            operators), hospitality providers (hotel and conference facilities; serviced apartment operators)
            and health and wellbeing facilities. Those inquiries indicated that there was limited to no interest
            in the SBC.
            An assessment of the future demand on remaining undeveloped sites within the SBC was
            undertaken by the Applicant, as outlined in the Noosa Civic Commercial Needs Assessment
            prepared by Urbis that accompanied the development application. High range demand for office
            space within the SBC to 2031 is 8,000sqm.
            The proposed development retains capacity to accommodate the development of sufficient non-
            retail land uses to deliver the planning intent for the SBC. The Buchan Group prepared a
            conceptual plan which identifies the potential future development sites which will remain available
            for development within the SBC. The concept merely represents one way in which the planning
            intent for the SBC could be delivered in the future. The concept illustrates that the proposed
            development does not fetter the achievement of the ability for future development to achieve the
            intent for the site.
            Council has requested further information about alternative futures for the SBC, other than as
            contemplated by the planning scheme.
            The Applicant welcomes the Council’s interest in the site and its future direction, given its
            importance to the future economy of the Noosa Shire. It is suitable and appropriate for the
            planning authority for Noosa to have an interest in the future direction of the SBC.
            However, it is not the role of the development assessment system to undertake a review of the
            planning controls to achieve the role and function of the SBC, or to articulate alternative futures
            for the site. Such a task is more suited to Council’s long range forecasting and strategic planning
            as part of a review of its planning scheme.
June 2015                                             Cardno HRP                                                            8