September 21, 2016
An ambitious plan by Blackbutt’s supermarket developer to expand the project to include a number of small specialty shops had cold water poured on it on Wednesday.
The South Burnett Regional Council voted to issue a development permit for Stage 1 of the project – the supermarket – subject to wide range of conditions.
But it turned down a request to give development approval for a proposed Stage 2 until the developer makes a number of substantial modifications to their initial proposal.
Councillors were told at their monthly meeting the proposed development had several flaws that conflicted with planning scheme standards.
Council officers said these would impact on the character, safety, amenity, operation and smooth integration of the development with the rest of Blackbutt’s CBD if they were not addressed.
One significant issue was that there would be less than 60 per cent of the car parking spaces required.
Another problem was that the proposal would not provide semi-trailer access, which was common for supermarket developments and required by the planning scheme.
A third flaw was that if Stage 2 was completed as proposed, there would be long, blank walls along both Coulson and Muir streets, a poor urban design outcome out of character with Blackbutt’s CBD.
Councillors were also concerned that if Stage 2 went ahead the specialty shops would be separated from the supermarket by a narrow alley, which could encourage crime and give rise to public safety issues.
After discussion, they voted to give the go-ahead to Stage 1 – a 499sq m building – subject to 56 conditions and a number of advices.
These conditions included stipulations the maximum road frontage setback from Coulson Street would be three metres; that a minimum of 65 per cent of the Coulson Street frontage be made of glass; and that the Coulson Street side of the supermarket have an awning.
The developer will also be required to ensure semi-trailers can safely access the site, and bring the number of car parking bays up to the standard specified by the Planning Scheme.
Under an agreement struck between the developer and the Council, work on the supermarket cannot begin until the Blackbutt Memorial Hall is successfully relocated from the Coulson Street site to a new site near Bowman Road.
Once this has been done, Council will transfer title of the two blocks the Hall currently sits on to the developer, allowing supermarket construction to commence.
No date has yet been set to relocate Blackbutt Memorial Hall.
Related articles:
- Meet The Future Blackbutt Hall
- Blackbutt To Get First Look At Hall Plans
- Supermarket Project Advances … Slowly
- No Change In Supermarket Plans
- Artist Records Hall’s Journey
- Blackbutt Supermarket Still On Schedule For Mid-2016
- Supermarket Dream Coming True
- Blackbutt Gets Its Supermarket
- Blackbutt Supermarket Still Progressing
- Supermarket Developer Could Be Known Mid-May
- Two Bids To Build Supermarket
- Blackbutt Supermarket One Step Closer
- Campaign Backs Woolies For Blackbutt
- Blackbutt Votes Yes To Supermarket
- Public Meeting To Discuss Supermarket
Most of the concerns voiced now – at the point in time when everyone expected the beginning of the hall move – would have been known before Council members promised the Blackbutt residents during the recent information sessions that everything was on track. It sounds very much like an attempt by the Council to discourage and disgruntle the developer and stop the whole project.
The size of the block of land available was also known from the beginning. To leave more space for parking, how about building the shop on 2 floors? Or have a 2-storey car park?