Noosa’s retail rejection under legal spotlight

Noosa Council’s lawyers will be back in the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane on Tuesday for a review of an appeal lodged by Spotlight Group.

A plan of the Noosa Marketplace presented to Noosa Council.

Councillor Brian Stockwell is making no excuses for what Noosa Council’s pro-business critics see as an entrenched rejection of more retail space on the edges of Noosa Civic.

Noosa Council’s lawyers will be back in the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane on Tuesday for a review of the appeal proceedings lodged by Spotlight Group.

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Spotlight lodged the legal action a year ago after its application for the Noosa Marketplace at the old Masters Home Improvements Centre site in Hofmann Dr was rejected.

The company pitched the development to the council as a destination shopping precinct anchored by showrooms.

Cr Stockwell, who is the council’s planning committee chairman, said the development didn’t meet the Noosa Plan’s aim for its designated Noosa Business Centre.

“The council’s adherence to core planning principals and objectives is what underpins our difference and is a thing we take seriously,” Cr Stockwell said.

“We’d welcome an application that met the new provisions under the new planning scheme.

“We actually increased the level of showrooms in the final review of the planning scheme on this site.”

He said that was a continuation of a showroom precinct along the Eenie Creek Rd frontage.

He said the plan for the area was to create a village with a mix of different uses including business and “more people living there”.

Spotlight Group’s development in the heart of Maroochydore is planned to feature Australia's biggest Spotlight store.

“It never has been, and now more so, is not just a shopping precinct,” he said.

Cr Stockwell said since his election to council in 2016 the council’s strict upholding of its planning principles had seen it not lose an appeal case that went to hearing.

Spotlight Group executive deputy chairman Zac Fried told the Sunshine Coast Daily the proposal was an opportunity to create 150 jobs with Spotlight, Anaconda and potentially a Harris Scarfe opening up in Noosaville.

Mr Fried said Spotlight was working with Noosa Council but the appeal would “go the full way” if needed.

“From my point of view, we are looking at what is good for the community,” Mr Fried said.

He was supportive of Sunshine Coast Council’s handling of his company’s bid to invest $250 million into the Maroochydore CBD.

Spotlight’s grounds for appeal listed in court documents included the development would create a “destinational lifestyle precinct” that would contribute to and foster the vitality and vibrancy of the Noosa Shire Business Centre.

It said the project would include a mix of uses – retail, office, health care services, indoor sport and recreation, low impact industry and food and drink outlet.

The company argues the marketplace would contribute to economic development within the Noosa Shire by providing affordable, small scale and flexible business incubator tenancies including cottage industries.

It said that would reduce the need for residents to source goods and services beyond the shire and would result in the retention of spending within the region.

Spotlight argued the development would not unreasonably adversely affect other existing or planned centres.

The council maintained the marketplace was a “clear and serious departure” from the Noosa Plan and further large format retail was more suited to Maroochydore.

It also argued the proposal would not support the growth of the shire business centre as an employment node providing for a wide range of business uses and employment opportunities.

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