By CAROLINE STRAINIG
REVAMPED plans by Woolworths to build a supermarket which is more sympathetic to the Port Macquarie foreshore have done nothing to stem the tide of angry public condemnation for the way the State Government is handling the project.
“I think it is disgraceful it is not going through a public competition process – and the only people who can buy this site are Woolworths,” mayor Peter Besseling said. “I also think it is disgraceful that the local member has confirmed she supports the sale.
“The council will be doing everything in its power to ensure that the public interest test is made public, that the land assessment is made public and this goes to a public competition process like an expression of interest.”
Cr Besseling made his comments after a meeting convened by the CBD Property Owners Group on Monday night to discuss Woolworths’ plans to build a supermarket complex on the old Food For Less site in Short Street, which fronts Kooloonbung Creek.
In addition to the mayor, the 30 or so attendees at the meeting included Woolworths regional development manager Anthony Iannuzzi, acting director east Crown Lands Newcastle David Clarke, chamber of commerce president Hadyn Oriti, Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams, several other councillors and numerous property owners.
The meeting started with Mr Clarke from Crown Lands explaining his department’s role and confirming discussions had been taking place with Woolworths, but emphasising there was no sale at this time. He said Crown Lands had the authority to deal directly with one potential purchaser rather than publicly advertising for expressions of interest if the proposed sale met certain requirements.
Mr Iannuzzi from Woolworths then gave a brief outline of the development, revealing that Woolworths had decided to expand its original development proposal to incorporate the Crown Lands car park. However, there would be no loss in terms of car parking spaces because underground parking would be included in the new development and it would be positive outcome for the community.
Woolworths had also taken on board public concern and the recommendations in the draft plan of management for the foreshore, which called for development fronting the creek to be open and interactive. They had as a result axed their original plan to build a 75m-long eight-metre high wall along the creek and had replaced it with a combination of retail and office space, at least some of which would front the creek and “engage” the foreshore.
Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams spoke positively about the project and dealings with Woolworths to date, saying that she would push for any money paid by Woolworths to be funnelled back into foreshore improvements.
However, Cr Besseling was unswayed in his view that the car park should be put up for public expressions of interest if it was going to be sold. He angrily demanded to know how the public interest test to enable Crown Lands to deal directly with Woolworths had been satisfied.
Cr Besseling said it was all very well to have ”pretty pictures”, but he felt the whole foreshore plan of management process had been done to placate the public, while the key issue really was what was going to happen to the plaza car park. He read from Crown Lands’ own guidelines which set out the criteria for direct dealing, demanding for the information supporting Crown Lands’ decision to deal direct to be made public.
He also verbally attacked MP Ms Williams for not demanding public expressions of interest.
Mr Clarke from Crown Lands said the report leading to the decision for Crown Lands to deal direct with Woolworths would not be made public and reiterated early comments that a sale had not occurred, and there were many steps still to go before that happened.
Chamber president Hadyn Oriti was also unswayed in his view the car park sale should be a public process.
“We don’t know what the highest and best use is for that because we haven’t tested the market,” he said.
“Go national, go international, but find out what’s best for a premier site to Port Macquarie.”
The meeting ended with many siding with the mayor and chamber president’s view the car park site should be put up for sale publicly, but a few of the members of the property owners group less convinced.
One of them, a major commercial property developer, said he didn’t think the “numbers stacked up” to develop the car park on its own because of height restrictions and car-parking requirements and advertising for expressions of interest could prove a fruitless exercise. He also thought some of the comments made at the meeting were “political grandstanding” and would have been made regardless of what Woolworths or Crown Lands said.
What Mrs Williams had to say
PORT Macquarie MP Leslie Williams declined to comment on the record after the meeting, but the next day issued a brief media statement, saying she was confident that to this point due process had been followed in the negotiations.
“The new minister overseeing Crown Lands, the Hon. Kevin Humphries, and I met on two occasions last week to discuss the plaza car park and the issues that have been raised with me by stakeholders, members of FLAG and the broad community.
“I also emphasised to the minister the community’s wish to have the draft plan of management (PoM) finalised and he has confirmed that this will occur in the months ahead.
“Crown Lands recently met with council to discuss the draft PoM and will shortly appoint an independent consultant to undertake a review of the draft plan.
“Key stakeholders including FLAG, council and the community will be part of a further review.
“I also indicated to both the Deputy Premier and the minister my wish to have funds from any sale of the plaza car park invested in the beautification and enhancement of the foreshore.
“The key concerns of the community focus on the retention of car parking spaces for public use, the activation and enhancement of the foreshore and a commercial development at the Food for Less site that aligns with council’s foreshore plan of management.”
The background up until now
WOOLWORTHS had a development application approved by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council several years ago to develop the site, but has now decided to revamp and expand the development to include the car park, which is Crown Lands reserve.
As detailed on last week’s front page, they have approached Crown Lands to buy the car park, and Crown Lands has been discussing a possible sale with them directly. Council and chamber have both condemned this, saying the site should be put up for public expressions of interest.
