COUNCIL PLANNING CHANGES BLOCK DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS FOR EXISTING BUSINESSES, A CRUEL HOAX

Wednesday 14 November 2012

More than 2800 petitions were tabled in State Parliament today saying no to the establishment of a new town centre at Shearwater, said Guy Barnett, spokesperson of the Save Our Seaside Village (‘SOSV’) group today.

“In a community of 4200 people this sends a strong message. We are very pleased with the response and hope the Council will reconsider its position, he said.

Members of the Save Our Seaside Village executive met with members of State Parliament and others in Hobart yesterday.

“We advised them that Latrobe Council’s amendment to the planning scheme to prohibit the development of any shop in the existing Shearwater town centre to no more than 250 square metres gross floor area was unfair and anti-competitive, Mr Barnett said.

“How can they possibly compete with any new retailers 700 metres up the road in Alexander Street? It is a cruel hoax imposed on law abiding rate-paying retailers and businesses that are currently fighting like crazy to make ends meet. For the existing Shearwater retail businesses the Council has tied both hands behind their back and tied their feet together as well. This is a huge injustice that must be stopped, he said.

“The Council has either wittingly or unwittingly set up a David and Goliath battle, but denied David even a few stones. This prohibition on development in the existing town centre will directly affect the baker, newsagent, chemist, bottle shop owner, butcher and supermarket, Mr Barnett said.

Town Planner Michael Ball said “In my thirty years’ experience as a town planner in Tasmania this is the only instance where development options that were previously permitted have been removed in this way.

“It is likely that the only way new retail development can be attracted to the new site is by removing the potential for competition from the existing Shearwater town centre. These changes reinforce my opinion that Council has a clear strategy of changing the function of the existing Shearwater town centre and the creation of a new town centre on a greenfields site. The Council’s preclusion of developments of more than 250 square metres apply not just to a single shop but an application for two or more specialty shops with a combined gross floor area of 250 square metres. This change came in to effect on 24 April 2008,” he said.

Paul Foster, owner and manager of Tempt Bakery & Cafe said “The new town centre with the proposed Woolworths supermarket and specialty shops will cause significant detrimental economic and social impact on the existing Shearwater community including retailers, businesses, employees and their families, and also the tourism potential and amenity of Shearwater and surrounding areas. It will impact particularly on the elderly. My bakery and cafe is in serious jeopardy now.”

“This current situation is anti-competitive, unfair and now entirely unacceptable. There is no level playing field at all. The Shearwater community is fighting back. People power and common sense can prevail”, Mr Barnett concluded.

The Save Our Seaside Village Group has commissioned a Master Plan for the area and have a further meeting scheduled with Latrobe Council for 3 December 2012.
Guy Barnett