The centre on the corner of Short and William streets was closed on April 5 last year.

A spokeswoman at the time said the decision to close was made because it was “a smaller format store which no longer meets the needs of the community.”

Almost 12 months on and Woolworths still claims it is unsure of what to do with the unsightly building in the centre of Port Macquarie’s CBD.

“We are still reviewing the options of what we want to do or what we can do with it,” a spokeswoman said. “There have been some meetings with stakeholders but nothing has been confirmed.”

Although Woolworths opted to remain quiet about the future of the building director of Development and Environmental Services for the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Matt Rogers admitted they had been working together on plans.

“Council has been working with Woolworths and the Department of Lands on a number of development concepts for the Plaza that are consistent with the draft LEP (Local Environment Plan),” he said.  “It is too early in the process however to comment further on these concepts.”

While Woolworths wait to reveal their plans for the site there is growing concerns in the community about the state of the building. The abandoned shop has attracted flocks of pigeons nesting in the roof and cavities of the building. Charlie Nelson, who lives in the vicinity, said there was continuous noise from the birds at night.

Stopping short of asking for the birds to be moved on, Mr Nelson admitted the store was an eyesore and said something should be done to clean it up.

“I’m used to the birds but this place is a bit of a mess,” he said.

The site of the old Food for Less supermarket is zoned commercial and a range of business uses are permissible.

Meanwhile, business owners in Port Macquarie’s CBD want something done to the former Food For Less building.

Both, the Plaza Newsagency and Plaza Hair owners are former lessees of the centre on the corner of Short and William streets and both agree it has become an eyesore.

They say something should be done to fix it sooner rather than later. Both businesses are now located across the road and face the neglected building. 

Cindy Whalley from Plaza Hair said even while she leased a shop front in the centre it was in need of major repairs.

“The building is just disgusting,” she said. “We always had lots of problems with leaking roofs and leaking pipes. As it is, it’s just an eyesore.

“It would be really good to see it ripped down and something nice built there.”

Despite the regular need for maintenance to the building Mrs Whalley said she enjoyed her time in the centre.

“It’s a real shame they closed it,” she said. “It was always busy with lots of people coming and going, hopefully a supermarket goes back in there.”

Chris Genders from the Plaza Newsagency said it was about time something was done with the building.

“The owners were in a hurry to kick us out of there and almost 5.5 years later nothing has yet been done to it,” he said. “It’s an eyesore and it’s getting worse.”

Mr Genders said the state of the building gave a poor representation of the town.

“People come to Port Macquarie from all over Australia for the Ironman events and the transition section is held in that carpark,” he said.

“So, one of our biggest sporting events is run right beside this dilapidated building and national and international athletes are greeted with it. The owners should be made to do something about it.”