Hitch in Woolies’ proposal

TRINITY Beach retailers are breathing easier this morning after Woolworths hit a snag in its bid to build a new shopping centre around the corner.

Cairns Regional Council has granted the supermarket giant preliminary approval that will only activate if a planned shopping centre development at Smithfield does not start construction in four years.

Woolworths will also get the green light if the surrounding population hits an unforeseen critical mass not expected to arrive until beyond 2030.

A portion of the proposal was approved outright – a childcare centre, service station and restaurant – but whether it goes ahead without the supermarket remains to be seen.

Trinity Beach News owner Bruce Sharples said he was happy not to become a casualA ty of the supermarket war – for now, at least.

“Woolworths could appeal the decision and take it to court but at least this delays it for a bit,” he said.

“We’re quite happy with the council’s decision. It’s what we’ve been saying all along – it’s not going to create new business, it’s just going to take it away.”

The decision was out of councillors’ hands due to conflicts of interest arising from a $500 donation made to the Unity Team in 2016 from S & A Ricketts, owner of town planning firm Urban Sync which worked on the project’s design.

Since the Unity Team makes up a majority of councillors, a quorum could not be reached and the decision had to be deferred to council CEO John Andrejic. The situation has arisen repeatedly since the Belcarra local government reforms were introduced in May.