By JOLENE OGLE
HIGH rent and an increase in online shopping is driving retailers to much cheaper industrial spaces in the Noosaville industrial zone, but council has warned they’re keeping an eye on business owners.
Council’s infrastructure and planning director Martin Drydale said it was important to protect the Noosaville industrial area for industrial functions, and was in the process of compiling a business register to monitor businesses opening in the precinct.
“Residences, community organisations, commercial and retail business, and most sport and recreational land-use activities, should not operate from industrial premises,” he said.
In a statement to media, council said they were asking property owners and real estate agents to help make sure new Noosaville industrial estate businesses complied with zoning.
Council said it had written to landlords and real estate agents to ask them to ensure their premises were advertised – and leased – for uses that are consistent with the planning scheme.
Mr Drydale says the Noosaville industrial estate is Noosa’s principal industrial centre and the only industrial area in the coastal part of the shire.
“The reason for having a town plan is so we can ensure various land-use types are appropriately located to best serve the community,” he said.
“Property owners and real estate agents play an important role in helping uphold the town plan’s integrity.
“Just as the community would likely object to a factory opening up in a retail precinct such as Noosa Junction, retail shops and professional offices are not appropriate in industry-zoned areas.”
Noosa Chamber of Commerce (CCIQ Noosa) president Sarah Fisher said the chamber was aware of the many challenges facing a small business owner seeking a commercial premises including affordable shopfront and online shopping, particularly in today’s challenging business climate.
“The high costs of commercial retail space in Noosa results in many businesses seeking cheaper commercial spaces that are often times not in line with current zoning scheme regulations unbeknownst to the small business owner,” she said.
“This issue of current zoning scheme under the Noosa Plan was raised during a recent Local Economic Plan (LEP) meeting, which is an initiative by Noosa Council to reach out for community input into the development of the LEP.”
Ms Fisher said two CCIQ Noosa representatives attended a focus group for the LEP where the group discussed a desire by the business community to have a more flexible planning scheme that would reflect and support “what is actually going on in the market, rather than continuing to enforce a now inappropriate planning scheme”.
Ms Fisher said the final decision was in council’s hands, but CCIQ Noosa support a collaborative approach to the issue by council and small business owners.
Noosa Junction Association president Carole Tretheway said while she could not comment on what was happening in the industrial zone, she wanted to remind local business owners that the Noosa Junction offered a wide range of office and retail space, with a new shared office space to open in the coming weeks.
“There is also the opportunity for pop-up shops,” she said.
“The Junction is a great precinct to have your business.”
Mr Drydale said new and prospective property owners could familiarise themselves with the Noosa Plan by visiting council’s website at www.noosa.qld.gov.au/view-the-noosa-plan.
“This explains the rules that apply to an area zoned as industrial, and the consequences for being in breach,” he said.
Property owners or real estate agents who are unsure or require assistance in determining uses permitted in the Noosaville industrial area are asked to contact council’s planning section on (07) 5329 6245 for assistance.
The Noosa Plan is available for viewing on council’s website at www.noosa.qld.gov.au/view-the-noosa-plan.
