By JOLENE OGLE
A COUNCIL audit of the Noosaville Industrial Zone has found 89 tenancies were non-industrial, meaning the businesses were in breach of the planning scheme.
In a report to the planning and organisation committee on Tuesday 18 August, the staff report said 14 per cent of businesses in the Noosaville industrial zone were non-compliant, but recommended freezing any further breach action against existing unlawful businesses established prior to the survey.
In the report, planning and environment manager Kerri Coyle said the audit was carried out to create a register to help monitor businesses in the area, as well as inform tenants and owners on the purpose of the industrial zone and provide background data for future planning.
As the only industrial zone in the coastal part of the shire, the establishment of retail or commercial office type business in the area has the potential to reduce the availability of industrial land for industrial uses and detract from the role of business centres, the report said.
But, Ms Coyle noted some of the industrial tenancies were too small to house an industrial business and said this would need to be taken into consideration in future planning discussions.
In the planning and organisation meeting, Cr Tony Wellington said it was also important to note the impact of retail businesses that were not using designated retail centres.
“Siting retail-type businesses in industrial areas also means those businesses are not located in appropriate retail areas and that has an impact upon the viability of retail precincts,” he said.
“It’s not just the impact in industrial zones, but you’re taking away from the retail areas.”
Cr Frank Wilkie said retail businesses could also attract more traffic and industrial zones were designed to cope with the increased cars and parking needs.
Moving forward, the report recommends using the information gathered in the audit to inform land use decisions for the next planning scheme and until the review is undertaken “any further breach action against existing unlawful businesses established prior to the survey should be put on hold”.
The report also recommends the industrial area should be monitored regularly to ensure further non-industrial businesses do not establish in the area.
