Nambour developer says Sunshine Coast Council must ‘come to party’

A developer has big plans for a set of shops in the Nambour town centre as other long-term locals fear a repeat of history. Take a look at his dream for the site.

A developer has revealed his $50m dream for a Nambour shopping strip and says it is crucial the Sunshine Coast Council “comes to the party” over the plan.

Rod Constantinides, 28, bought five shops on Bury St and Currie St and intends renovating them up to rent out while he continues planning for a childcare centre, units and shop fronts on Currie St.

He was yet to lodge the plans — being designed by Sparks Architects — with the council.

He said although there were empty shops around Nambour, the problem was not as bad as it looked.

“A lot of the property owners are old and have owned them for years,” he said.

Developer Rod Constantinides has big plans for a set of shops, in red, on Bury and Currie streets in Nambour.

“The property we just purchased is about five empty shops and was owned by a group in Brisbane.

“It’s very run down, the roofs are leaking, the property is riddled with falling asbestos and everything so tenants don’t actually want to lease the buildings.”

Developer Rod Constantinides has $50m plans for a set of shops he recently bought in Nambour and says it’s crucial that council “comes to the party”. Picture: Contributed

Sunshine Coast Councillor David Law said it was an astute observation.

“For people who want to invest in Nambour, now is a really good time to do so,” he said.

Mr Constantinides said the council would have to “come to the party” on any development plan for the site.

“If they don’t want it, we’ll keep what’s there and tidy it up but it would be a shame,” Mr Constantinides said.

Developer Rod Constantinides, who has also run a pottery studio for four years in Nambour, has a development plan for a set of shops in the town centre.

Mr Constantinides said the Nambour demographic was changing, with music and podcast studios open in town plus spaces for creative people in the works.

The developer has also run a pottery studio on Brookes St for four years.

An aerial view of the plans that developer Rod Constantinides is working on with Sparks Architects. Picture: Contributed

Life-long Nambour resident Jim Attewell, 76, said the Nambour sugar mill closure in 2003 changed the town.

He worked at the sugar mill for 37 years, up until its closure.

Jim Attewell has lived in Nambour his whole life and says the sugar mill closure in 2003 changed the town.

“It takes away the tyre companies, the fuel supplies, the fertiliser sales, the tractor sales, all the little things that helped the sugar industry closes down because it’s not required any more,” Mr Attewell said.

“It takes more people out of the town.”

He said when council workers moved to the Maroochydore central business district that would also affect the businesses that relied on the workers’ trade for things like lunches and coffees.

Mr Law said 200 workers would remain at the Nambour chambers and others would move to the Maroochydore central business district later this year or early next year.

Sunshine Coast Councillor David Law says the council is not leaving Nambour. Picture: John McCutcheon

“The council is not leaving Nambour,” he said.

“The customer contact centre will be upgraded, the heritage library will remain and the main library will be upgraded.

“The disaster management hub will remain in Nambour.”

He said architects were appointed earlier this year to redesign the buildings.

The councillor said when the Caloundra council chambers were renovated, the workers from the south would also work at the Nambour chambers.