Looking to lobby for Cooroy good planning gains

CARA keen to ensure Cooroy lifestyle after planning reviews

BIG CALLS: Cooroy's future is at stake with planning and other critical issues. Picture: Peter Gardiner

A COOROY lobby group is looking to ramp up public awareness and input into major issues confronting the Noosa hinterland centre

Cooroy Area Residents Association president Rod Ritchie said his group in 2018 is determined to keep locals informed of new proposals.

And Mr Ritchie said CARA will continue to lobby the Noosa Council for appropriate planning measures as it prepares its new Noosa Plan.

Issues which his group has identified needing further investigation include the Council's plan for extra dwellings on existing lots, traffic congestion at the town's two major intersections, parking and speed limits.

One public responder to the proposed planning scheme noted the "serious gridlock at the intersection entering Cooroy from the south” and another said the proposed new Noosa Plan should facilitate the development of affordable housing in urban areas like Cooroy.

Council planning staff said the housing choice in Cooroy would potentially benefit from duplexes in "existing detached housing neighbourhoods plus an increase in multiple dwellings within and immediately surrounding the business centres and an increase in dwelling houses on small lots in as yet underdeveloped parts of town”.

Mr Ritchie said there are also concerns over the impacts on local recycling efforts following China's decision to restrict the intake of low-value waste, possible installation of the CCTV cameras in rural area and the ex-quarry site development on Lake MacDonald Dr.

"Cooroy is buzzing with new development and bursting at the seams with shoppers and traffic. We especially welcome suggestions, and would like to hear from anybody interested in what's happening and how issues might be solved.”

The Noosa Plan general public feedback included the comments that Cooroy was already "too busy” and that public transport to hinterland centres had to be improved.

And there was even one suggestion that Cooroy be usurped by Pomona as the major hinterland centre for the shire, which has not been supported by the council's planning staff.

"Cooroy has some physical and locational advantages over Pomona in terms of services, access to the highway and flood-free industrial land,” the staff said.

"However, this does not mean Pomona could not make a significant contribution to the rural service industry and food production sector.”

One public plan response was in support for a second supermarket in Cooroy, however the comment found there was not sufficient demand to justify a third supermarket in town.

The planning response was: "At present Cooroy has one supermarket and a second has been approved but not yet started.

"There is currently no formal application for another supermarket on the eastern side of the railway but preliminary conversations have been held. Submissions were received supporting two supermarkets only on the western side of the railway and alternately supporting a new supermarket on the eastern side of the railway,” planners said.