Sunshine Beach General Store development proposal slammed by locals

Holidaymakers, locals and business owners have slammed plans for the redevelopment of a popular Noosa general store, labelling the proposal as an “overdevelopment”. The owner has hit back.

Owners Mandy and Justin Trivett of Sunshine Beach G Store. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Plans to replace a much-loved coastal general store with a multi-storey development to include units, an eatery and an updated retail space, have been slammed by the Noosa community.

Public submissions on the proposed development at 44 Duke St, Sunshine Beach opened to the community last month.

The plans to demolish the existing store were first submitted to the Noosa Council in March this year and included a new building set to feature a holiday unit with a rooftop pool, sundeck and outdoor gym.

A larger general store and an eatery would also be included in the site’s redevelopment, which would span across four separate levels.

Renders of the proposed make over to Sunshine Beach's G Store. Photos: RG Strategic / Blackwood Architecture & Design

Owners of neighbouring properties voiced their opposition to the development, stating the height of the building was likely to affect their privacy.

“It is a substantial overdevelopment on a small block of land and would set a very unwelcome precedent for future development along Duke St and Douglas Lane,” one neighbouring unit owner said.

One submission by the owners of a neighbouring business, Paul and Rosa Cullen, stated concerns with the parking available to the visitors of the redeveloped general store and the eatery.

“There has been no parking consideration allowance for a 32-60 seat eatery, no staff parking, no additional parking for a larger general store, no usable visitor parking for dwellings, (it is) at odds with the prerequisite for other buildings along this strip to provide parking,” the submission stated.

The body corporate of a nearby apartment block, Cote D’Azur, also made submissions on behalf of the 12 unit owners to the council regarding the impact the significantly larger building would have on views and ventilation, compared to the current general store.

Renders of the proposed make over to Sunshine Beach's G Store. Photos: RG Strategic / Blackwood Architecture & Design

Another submission was made by a long-term return holiday-maker to the Sunshine Beach area, Nicola Walker.

“The size and scale are disproportionate to the surrounding buildings and will negatively alter the streetscape,” she said.

“There will be shadowing of 40 Duke Street from North Eastern sunlight, both for the above dwelling and the shops below. This will greatly reduce ability for these areas to be enjoyed.”

The man behind the plans, Jason Trivett, took over the general store in February 2020 and previously told this publication he expected the development to cost between $5m and $7m.

Mr Trivett said the proposal was within the town planning guidelines and the costs of maintaining the store in its current state were “prohibitive”.

“The proposed development is within the Town plan and the GFA is equivalent to what is there currently,” Mr Trivett said.

“If our development is denied and we are unable to improve the G Store we will look for another use for the property as the ongoing maintenance costs are prohibitive.

“We are trying to maintain a local store for the local community as we are locals.”

All 11 submissions received were in opposition to the development going ahead.