Objection-MCU130092 · MCU13/0092

Objection to a proposed integrated shopping complex development at Peregian Beach on
land zoned Open Space/ Recreation in both the Noosa Plan 2006 and the draft Sunshine
Coast Planning Scheme (2012).

To:
The Chief Executive Officer
Sunshine Coast Council
Locked Bag 72
Sunshine Coast Mail Centre, QLD [email protected]

File No: MCU13/0092
Name of Applicant: Multispan Australia
Postal Address of Land: 5‐7 Rufous Street, Peregian Beach.
Proposal: Integrated shopping complex development.

We object to the proposed development for the following reasons.

Despite increased development pressure over the last decade, Peregian Beach has
evolved gradually and incrementally, enabling a settled and friendly community to enjoy a
quiet, integrated, attractive shopping precinct comprised substantially of shops
surrounding a central square within easy walking distance of the other shops. On the other
hand, the “area is generally under-provided for with recreational parks”, as acknowledged
in the Sunshine Coast Council Open Space Strategy 2011 (2011:35), and the Rufous
Street site which is the subject of the current development application is part of an
important area of open space which includes the Tennis Courts, Community House,
Kindergarten, Veggie Village and Di Hurst Oval.

Even considered in isolation, Rufous Street is an unsuitable location for a shopping
complex. Viewed in context, the proposal to develop a complex there is an opportunistic
attempt by outside interests to profit at the expense of Peregian's unique characteristics. A
Bowling Club with no connection to the area bought land zoned Open Space/ Recreation
and intended for recreational use, paid a price commensurate with that use and is free to
sell the land for that use, but instead seeks to obtain a windfall profit by selling the land to
a developer, also with no connection to the area, which in turn wants to profit from
developing the land for an unsuitable purpose, depriving the local community of scarce
recreational land, imposing an unneeded and unwelcome shopping precinct on a
community which is satisfied with and well-served by its existing shopping facilities and
damaging the special sense of community which is provided by the location of Peregian
village around and immediately adjacent to the central square. An unnecessary rival
precinct on the unsuitable Rufous Street site would decentralise local retail outlets and
significantly increase vehicular traffic whereas, with good planning, the existing precinct
will expand at a pace and in a manner with which local residents and businesses are
comfortable and the calm village ambience will be preserved.

It would be most regrettable if one of the Sunshine Coast Council's last important planning
decisions in relation to land which will soon become part of the new Noosa Shire
permanently damaged current and future Peregian communities.

Objectors: Catherine Fitzgerald and Gerald Edward Fitzgerald
Address: 78 Peregian Esplanade, Peregian Beach, 4573.
Date: 19 August 2013.