A proposed shopping centre for a Coast town has the go-ahead after the council and an applicant reached agreement during a court appeal.
Eumundi Holdings had appealed against the Sunshine Coast Council’s deemed refusal of its application for a shopping centre at the southern end of Eumundi.
The matter was set down for a hearing in the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane last week but Judge Michael Williamson gave approval for the development after both parties advised they had reached agreement.
The approval means Eumundi Holdings, part of the Altum Property Group, will be able to build a 1400sqm shopping centre, including a 1200sqm supermarket and specialty retail stores, at 10 Memorial Drive.
The potential location of a supermarket in town has been the subject of debate.
Lewis Formosa, who has other business interests in Eumundi, had maintained he had preliminary approval for a supermarket in a retail complex, Our Village, at the northern end of town.
Mr Formosa and Stockwell, which owns the Noosa Civic shopping centre at Noosaille, were co-respondents, with the Sunshine Coast Council, to the Eumundi Holdings’ appeal.
However, Mr Formosa withdrew from proceedings in March, followed by Stockwell in May, with neither offering any comment at the time.
A statement from Altum following the court decision said it now planned to regroup with its commercial partners to review the approval and determine the next steps forward.
The statement commended the council for its support, resulting in a favourable decision from the court.
Altum Property Group director Alex Rigby was satisfied with the outcome after a five-year process, emphasising that it aligned with Eumundi’s town plan, which identified a clear need for a supermarket.
“We are pleased with Sunshine Coast Council’s positive response, which reinforces the economic needs assessment we conducted as part of the development’s evaluation,” Mr Rigby said.
“This assessment concluded that there were no other suitable locations within Eumundi for a supermarket.
“This approval marks a significant day for the people of Eumundi and the surrounding catchment.
“We firmly believe that without council’s support, Eumundi would have faced an indefinite delay in acquiring a supermarket, which would have been detrimental for a town that has seen substantial growth since we first submitted our application.”
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The Altum statement pointed out that 150 to 160 submissions about the development during the public notification period expressed support for the supermarket.
“The overwhelmingly positive feedback, publicly available, underscores that approximately 95 per cent of the local community recognises the necessity of essential infrastructure such as a supermarket,” Mr Rigby said.
“This will enhance convenience for Eumundi residents and its surrounding areas, while potentially reducing the overall cost of living.”
The court approval for the shopping centre, which will be next to a service station already approved for the site, is subject to various conditions.
Access to the shopping centre will be off Memorial Drive and there must be parking for at least 76 cars and 10 motorcycles.
Memorial Drive must be upgraded along the site boundary and at the T-intersection at the northern end of the site.
Machinery and other equipment is to be screened, and acoustic experts involved in the installation of any noisy equipment.
Architects Blackburne Jackson propose materials such as vertical corrugated iron and horizontal weatherboards be used on the supermarket buildings in keeping with Eumundi’s historic and rural character.
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