11 Church Street, Boonah QLD 4310

This application has recently come to my attention. I am a long term, rate paying resident of Boonah and quite frankly, am appalled that a Foodworks may even be considered an appropriate addition to this particular location. The top of town in Boonah has a number of heritage listed and heritage applicable buildings, including the beautiful churches on the left and the right of the street. ( located at 9 and 10 Church Street). The area has been quietly growing as the cultural precinct of the town, with a cultural centre, cinema, an art gallery, a library, a number of cafes and bakeries and a unique event space.
The owners of the church at 9 Church Street would be negatively impacted by the construction of a Foodworks. They have sensitively restored the building and use the space for creative events including art exhibitions and music performances.
Hundreds of locals and visitors alike have stuggled to turn safely from Walter Street directly into Church Street. Cars parked on Church St make it very difficult to see oncoming traffic. This corner is notoriously dangerous already and the addition of a poorly designed towering building will only add to the existing safety concerns.
A few years ago our local IGA underwent a wonderful facelift and now is twice as big, stocking practically everything most families and individuals could ever want or need in relation to food and other necessary items, It also has an impressive solar array that does the town proud. The distance between the 11 Church Street and IGA is 300 metres, a two minute walk. If Boonah did need another food store surely it would make sense to put one on the outskirts of town to support the residents who live further away from the centre.
Please can the council consider these points (and there are many others in relation to this proposal). We want to see thoughtful, creative and appropriate development of our town.

I agree wholeheartedly with Johanna Powell.
It would be outstanding if council would approve a 'heritage building' to keep in theme with our country town.

I am a visitor to Boonah on occasions from Brisbane. I know that part of the street as a visitor. The amenity of the area would be spoiled by such a building, and turn the street into another ho-hum country town. Foodworks maybe, but not there.

I was amazed to hear about this proposed Foodworks for Church St and then horrified when I saw the image in the Guardian. This development :

* Is ugly and brings no value to the streetscape of Church St ,the cultural end of what is a beautiful little country town. Butting up against a Heritage Church and the contrast couldn't be greater. Ugly ugly.
*This is already a difficult intersection from Walker St visibility wise without a building obscuring the view
*the parking spaces are already at a premium in that area without more business users and the Developers even have the affront to ask for leniency in number of spaces required.
*Ritches does a fine job in providing for our needs and even those locals who go to Aldi and other Ipswich and Beaudesert stores are unliking to shop at small Foodworks. Some people might suggest its competition for Ritches but at what cost in this location.
*Another cafe! Please let the existing Cafes make a fair income first!
*If the developers think the economics add up why not use an existing vacant building such as the Music Toy store closing down in High St.
*I for one will continue to use a local Greengrocer and Butcher and will stick with Ritchies after all the clever renovations they did and their sponsoring of local events.
I moved/retired to this country town because of the ambience of the main street and surrounds amongst other things and would like to see Council consider that ambience in future applications.
Concerned Citizen

I have several objections to this development.
Firstly, the intersection adjacent to the development is already compromised visibility- wise due to the fact that drivers turning from Walter Street into Church Street are traveling uphill and parked cars on Church Street obscure oncoming traffic.
Secondly, the design of the building is not in keeping with the historic nature of the existing buildings in that precinct.
Thirdly, parking is already limited at that end of town and will be further impacted with the expansion of the Walter Street Medical Centre. The development and proposed parking will further impact parking in this vicinity.
Finally, Boonah residents are well catered for by as large IGA, independent butchers, grocers and bakeries. I fear that the proposed development will be unviable and residents will be left with an empty white elephant of a structure.

Thank you for the opportunity to lodge a complaint about this ludicrous proposal. I have been a long-term resident of our beautiful town for many years. People love coming to our area for the ambience and country feel they get here. The town has worked hard to develop a heritage feel, testament to the recent renovations in the corner buildings incorporating Arthur Clive as well as the lovely former Church, directly adjacent to a new proposed ‘white elephant ‘.

This proposal makes no sense whatever. Our town doesn’t need it- IGA has expanded and is more than capable of providing our supermarket needs. And let’s encourage people to use our local quality butchers, green grocers & chemists instead of another horrendous, plastic-producing microcosm of sugar-fueled foods in a small supermarket.

Apart from the hideous design impact in a potentially tourist-encouraging area, the dangers of the corner are already tight and would be impacted, as would the parking nearby with the extension of the medical practice.

Boonah currently has empty shops which could be happily adapted to other needs. Our previous Spar site at the former ‘Toys, Music & more’ may be a better alternative.

What about an antique centre or quality secondhand shop instead???

I agree with all points mentioned so far and am on board with objecting to this development in church street.
At present we have empty shop fronts in our main street which looks sad. To build an ugly supermarket on this corner will only take away the charm of the renovated Church next door.

A part from the visual appeal (definitely not in keeping with the area) I was very surprised by the request for a reduction in parking bays because of the availability of on street parking. Did the planners visit Church street on a working day. I for one struggle to find a park on either the top half of Walter street or that part of Church street (impossible when there is a funeral)

An absolutely dreadful consideration for this beautiful town. It will stick out like a sore thumb, create (and add to) traffic and parking congestion and will take business away from an already large number of cafes in the centre of Boonah.

Those who don’t shop at Ritchies IGA for groceries already now drive into Ipswich or Beaudesert. Furthermore both Woolworths and Coles do home deliveries to Boonah 4 times a week. There simply is no need for another option.

A Foodworks at that location would not get the business or foot traffic. As previously suggested there are many vacant lots in town, the recently closed Toys, Music and More being one of them. Surely there are better locations that will capture the tourist traffic driving through Boonah towards Warwick or back to the GC/Brisbane areas? I have a feeling that Foodworks wouldn’t be visited by many locals especially with the proposed structure.

I have four key objections to the proposed Foodworks development at 11 Church Street:
1. This is not a good place to build as right turns out of Walter Street into Church Street are already compromised in terms of visibility because of the Church Street gradient. Further reductions of visibility and a likely increase in traffic due to the nature of the proposed commercial development will worsen the problem.
2. The development is not in keeping with the cultural and heritage nature of surrounds and the town's character. It will detract from the appeal of this end of town.
3. Is a foodworks commercially viable? The IGA provides more than adequate food retailing service to most Boonah residents, as do small specialist retailers such as the 3 existing butchers. Will another and similar food retailer work?
Is the Fassifern area populous enough to make another food retailer a commercial success. Furthermore...
4. Despite the proposed development's suggested lack of commercial viability, isn't it likely to negatively impact existing businesses? The proposed Foodworks can only take away trade from existing businesses. Boonah residents gain nothing but an eyesore and traffic problem.

Boonah has a Village atmosphere and a development like the one proposed is definitely not needed or required. The design will be an ‘ eyesore ‘ to the area and especially in a street with Heritage Church structures and other churches. What happens when there is a funeral and parking is at a premium.
IGA has made a large investment with its development plus it supports the community in many ways ( financially and employment. )
Boonah does not need another grocery outlet as competition.
What the town needs is small individual niche shops that will support a tourist trade.
I expect the council to investigate this development application with a view that it does not fit in with what Boonah as a village requires now and or in the future.
Thanks. Rod McFerren