A sign of Noosa times about removing visual clutter

Council debates Woolies signage at Noosaville complex

SIGN DEBATE: One Woolworths sign is the preferred option for a majority of Noosa councillors at Noosa Village. Picture: Peter Gardiner

TWO "wrong” signs do not make a right in Noosa as far as Mayor Tony Wellington is concerned.

Which means Woolworths at Noosa Village in Noosaville will be restricted to just one advertising sign instead of the three now on site as part of shopping centre makeover.

The amount of centre signage has divided councillors with Ingrid Jackson, Joe Jurisevic and Jess Glasgow in favour of allow at least two signs - one for each street frontage.

Cr Jurisevic had argued the Noosa Civic had Woolworths signage and each of its two entrances so most people would think it was reasonable to allow similar signage at Noosa Village.

And Cr Jackson said the Village owners were carrying out a de-cluttering of tenant signage as the place looked "a bit like a shemozzle”.

She was happy for these signs to be removed and for only their anchor tenants Woolworths, The Reject Shop and BWS to have signage rights.

"Some people have mentioned that adding more signage is a bridge too far, but in fact this in fact is going to be much less signage that is there at the moment,” she said..

However Crs Wellington, Frank Wilkie, Brian Stockwell and Frank Pardon won the argument that one Woolies sign is enough, though the tenant will have the right to decide the best location to site it.

The mayor said the council is currently trying to deal signage proliferation across the shire.

"We do need to wind it back, firstly if we're to maintain that unique aesthetic appearance of the shire and village atmosphere, but also to ensure that there's a level playing field,” he said.

"Cr Jurisevic compares (the signage) with other development such as Noosa Civic, but I remind everyone that two wrongs don't make a right and multiple wrongs don't make a right.”

Cr Wellington said people will have seen a "massive great pylon sign which is as ugly as all get out” with Woolworths on it as they drive into the centre so he failed to see the need for additional signage.

Councillors have agreed to allow the Village bakery to have an outdoor eating area provided after staff initially recommened refusal because of the loss of three car spaces and pedestrian and traffic concerns.

Council will insist on using planter boxes to improve the look of the space rather than proposed concrete safety bollards.

The mayor said another nearby eatery "where there is no view of anything but a carpark and that operates perfectly happily with people sitting outdoors".