Palmwoods residents have their say over Coles proposal with fears of rejection

Residents of a Sunshine Coast suburb are desperate for council to hear their pleas and approve the area’s first fully-fledged supermarket. Read what residents have to say.

NeuBau Group director Tim Reed's proposal for a Coles supermarket in Palmwoods. Photos: contributed

Residents of a Sunshine Coast suburb have plead with council to approve a supermarket development they say is desperately needed by the area.

NeuBau Group lodged their proposal to build a Coles supermarket with adjoining bottle shop and roundabout access at 22 Palmwoods-Montville Rd, Palmwoods in 2023.

The supermarket would be the first in the suburb, excluding Spar supermarket, and residents would no longer need to travel to Nambour or Maroochydore for their routine shops.

Director Tim Reed said in June planners from Project Urban had been advised by council staff assessing the application they will recommend to refuse the proposal.

A Sunshine Coast Council spokeswoman previously said no decision had yet been made about the development.

“Council officers identified a number of key assessment issues against the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme and this was included in council’s information request issued to the applicant on July 31, 2023,” she said.

Mr Reed said he has since adequately responded to all requested information “in a way that we believe best relates to the community’s desired outcome”.

“It’s now up to the local councillors to listen to the people that voted them in,” he said.

Site plan for a new Coles proposed for Palmwoods.

Residents have since scrambled to put their two cents worth in to council in order to double down on the need for Palmwoods to receive its own grocery shop.

Palmwoods Chiropractic Centre owner Susan Steinhardt, who has lived in the suburb for six years and on the Sunshine Coast for most of her life, said a shop in the locality would save her time and money during her busy schedule running a small business and taking care of her young child.

“Palmwoods is growing rapidly and the traffic getting in and out is starting to build up,” she said.

“Having something my family and I can walk to would be awesome.”

Ms Steinhardt said her neighbours have also agreed the development would be a “great asset” to Palmwoods.

Kim Watson, a resident of Palmwoods for 32 years, said she would be concerned about the lack of services if council decide to reject the application.

She said there is a clear need for a supermarket which stocks most items and the proposed Coles would be just a street away which would accommodate for her lifestyle of walking everywhere.

The lack of specialty shops in the proposal and close proximity to an expanding retirement village would also be ideal, Ms Watson said.

During her daily walks, Ms Watson has observed busy traffic and noted it has become dangerous.

“A roundabout will integrate well here, safe for pedestrians and older residents,” she said.

Palmwoods residents of 15 years Dave and Val Jackson said there is “more planning” involved for weekly shopping trips and the travel route contributed to existing road congestion.

“We need a local full size supermarket which allows us to shop locally and do not have to deal with the substandard local shop we currently have,” the pair said.

“We deserve better.”

The couple expressed concerns the current approval for 55 units would be enforced if the Coles proposal were rejected.

They said accessing the suburb’s main road would become a “nightmare.”

Artist concepts of the new Coles proposed for Palmwoods, including shopfront and Click and Collect area.

Pam Rogowski from Palmwoods Action Group and resident for 40 years said the proposed Coles, as the only tenant, would be run by a Palmwoods family and the money would “stay in the area”.

“We desperately need a proper supermarket here to avoid being forced out of town to shop at Nambour or Sunshine Plaza,” she said.

Ms Rogowski currently drives to do her shopping but would be able to walk if council approved the proposal, she said.

Retiree Gail Lockyer, who has lived in Palmwoods since 2017 and on the Sunshine Coast since 1989, said it bothers her that she must take 20-minute trip for her weekly groceries and fuel costs cut into her budget.

Necessities such as household, pet items and more are all purchased outside of Palmwoods.

“Every dollar spent out of this area could be retained if we had a regular supermarket, not a convenience store like our current Spar supermarket,” Ms Lockyer said.

With an increasing population in the catchment, the designated area for the development would expand to include other tenants such as a butcher or a pharmacy and thereby alleviating traffic in other parts of the suburb.

“I implore council to approve this development as the town is growing out of it’s skin with new housing estates becoming part of our town but not being serviced with basic needs,” Ms Lockyer said.

“To reject this application may give rise for the previous developer to continue his pursuit to continue with a supermarket, albeit smaller, opposite the Palmwoods Hotel; a site with more problems than solutions; a site with logistic dramas to follow.”