Green light for retail development at Peregian Beach

Noosa Council has approved a new supermarket development next to the Peregian Beach hotel that it's confident will be more in step with the local community's wishes for the town.

The residential development on the old Peregian Beach caravan park site will now include a 1,600-square metre retail complex, including a mid-range supermarket of 950-square metres.

The locally-based Scanlon Property group had already received approval by court order in 2010 to develop the site for accommodation, some retail and office space.

Of the 37 submissions received, 35 were in favour, including support from the Peregian Beach Community Association and the Peregian Beach Business Association.

Tonight's council meeting gave the go-ahead for a supermarket on the site, after council planning officers advised that there is sufficient economic need for it to overcome planning conflicts.

Another developer - Multi Span Australia - has withdrawn its bid to build a shopping centre on a second site in the town, land zoned for community recreation at the site of the old Peregian Beach bowls club.

Council officers found that the Scanlon development next to the hotel is likely to complement the village and contribute to it as a new focal point for the community, without harming existing businesses as much as the rival supermarket bid on the old bowls club site.

The decision means a replacement supermarket for the existing one approved for redevelopment into a restaurant and offices in the village square.

While the approved site is between the Peregian Beach hotel and hardware store, most of the building will be below David Low Way and relatively obscured from the main road.

Planning Committee chairman, Councillor Frank Wilkie said there was a stark comparison between the two rival bids for supermarket developments in Peregian Beach.   "One was on land zoned for community recreation and would have split the Peregian village into two.  It galvanised the community in opposition to what they saw as a major threat to their village lifestyle." 

He said the approved application was  "on land already zoned for retail, will replace the convenience store due to be redeveloped, is supported by Peregian's business and community groups and is part of the village commercial centre."  

Cr Wilkie said "Unlike the supermarket proposed for the bowls club site, the development approved by council tonight was one the whole community can more easily live with."  

29 May 2014