Eumundi Voice Issue 122, 24 July 2025

COMMUNITY

Woolworths Cooroy development application

Plans to construct a new supermarket in Cooroy have entered the public notification phase, allowing residents to voice their opinions on the application via Noosa Council. Woolworths is spearheading the development of a full-line supermarket, with 8 direct-to-boot pick-up bays, along with retail and alfresco dining outlets, and a 120-place residential aged care facility, on a 6.6-hectare site at the corner of Myall St and Ferrells Rd, opposite the Cooroy Golf Club.

The public notification period commenced on 14 July and will continue until 1 August, during which formal submissions can be made directly to Noosa Council. The development application was initially submitted to council in May 2024 following 2 years of community consultation.

The commencement of the public notification phase follows an information response from town planners Project Urban on behalf of Woolworths, which addressed issues raised by the council in September of the previous year. The response highlighted amendments to the proposed development layout, particularly the relocation of all development outside the riparian buffer area.

The development will feature approximately 250 car parks, most of which will be shaded. The

updated layout relocates the shopping centre closer to Ferrells Rd, positioning the residential care facility nearer to the riparian buffer at the southern end of the site. Additionally, the primary site access has been moved from Myall St to Ferrells Rd, with a new roundabout planned at the intersection.

The shopping centre’s gross floor area has been reduced from 5,626sqm to 5,434sqm, while the residential care facility’s area has increased from 7,558sqm to 9,142sqm. The residential, aged care home has the potential for expansion to accommodate 40 more beds, ensuring privacy

and safety for residents. The overall landscaped area has been expanded, and the shopping centre design has been revised to reflect the Cooroy township character.

An updated economic impact assessment report by Location IQ addressed concerns regarding the need for the development. The report indicated that the provision of supermarket floorspace in the Noosa Local Government Area is currently in line with SEQ averages but is low when accounting for the significant number of tourists. Woolworths supermarkets in Noosa LGA trade at around 40-50% higher than the national average, reinforcing the need for additional supermarket space.

A development approval was granted by SCC for a supermarket at 10 Memorial Dr, Eumundi – at the southern end of town – in July 2024, for the construction of a 1,400sqm shopping centre including a 1,200sqm supermarket and specialty retail stores. Developer Eumundi Holdings – part of the Altum Property Group – was approached for comment on the progress and timeline for construction of the Eumundi supermarket, and whether the proposed development application for a Woolworths in Cooroy would affect their plans. Eumundi Voice had not received a response at the time of publication.