NightQuarter on the Sunshine Coast wants to increase capacity

A Coast outdoor food hall and concert venue wants permission to let more people in and says the increase won’t affect parking.

Social distance fairy Jacinta Joy spreads cheer at NightQuarter, which could have its crowd capacity increased from 1200 people to 2000.

NightQuarter bosses say a move to increase capacity at their Birtinya site by 800 people won't affect parking in the area.

Stockland, which owns the Kawana Way site, lodged an application with Sunshine Coast Council earlier this month to increase the maximum number of staff and patrons allowed in the night market and concert venue from 1200 to 2000.

Stockland also wants to increase trading hours for the award-winning venue so it can open between 4pm and 10pm, seven days a week.

"It is important to note that it is not anticipated that the venue will operate seven days per week, every week," the application reads.

"Nor is it expected that the venue will operate with 2000 patrons on any given operating day, or week for that matter."

The application says the amendments are sought to afford adequate flexibility to enable NightQuarter to hold special events and attract touring artists with the knowledge they can be held any day of the week.

NightQuarter patrons enjoy a beer.

NightQuarter co-owner Michelle Christoe said the original development application for her venture was based on preliminary modelling of expected traffic flows near the site and the neighbouring shopping centre when it was submitted in 2019.

"Now that the site has been operating for over six months, we were better able to assess the carparking and traffic impacts with actual data to demonstrate the viable operation of NightQuarter with a 2000 person capacity," Ms Christoe said.

She wouldn't say what the highest number of patrons the venue had since its November opening but said NightQuarter's patronage varied.

"It has been limited by the development approval and further by health directive restrictions allowing only 23 per cent capacity for a standing live music event in our live auditorium space," she said.

Ms Christoe said the increase would not affect parking.

"Actual data has been used to simulate the impact on the shopping centre carpark and surrounding areas that demonstrates there is adequate capacity to cater for the increased patron numbers," she said.

She said the increase in capacity would make the running of NightQuarter smoother as the venue currently monitored numbers through the front door and into each precinct within the venue to ensure it maintained capacity levels.

"This does not cause additional parking requirements," she said

"Further, we regularly see patrons choosing to use public transport and Ubers when attending live music events."

Ms Christoe said she was looking forward to the further easing of coronavirus restrictions.

"We know that NightQuarter has a positive impact for the community in attracting tourists and filling a gap in the live music industry here on the Sunshine Coast," she said.

"We are hopeful that the vaccination rollout will enable venues like ours to quickly get back to some form of normal, allowing the music industry to get back to what we love doing; creating memorable moments with music."

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Originally published as NightQuarter on the Sunshine Coast wants to increase capacity