Woolies appeals decision

THE battle is nowhere near over between Cairns Regional Council and the would-be developer of a new shopping centre on the Northern Beaches.

Woolworths has appealed to the Planning and Environment Court to reverse the effective dismissal of its proposed development on Trinity Beach Rd.

The council last month ticked off a few small segments of the project – a child care centre, service station and food and drink outlet – but was not so amenable to the rest.

Council chief executive John Andrejic was delegated the decision due to conflicts of interest requiring elected officials to sit out.

The shopping centre, medical centre and a 14-lot subdivision were granted preliminary approval only activated if another planned shopping centre development at Smithfield does not start construction within four years.

Woolworths head of property development Andrew Loveday said the supermarket giant would challenge the timing aspects of the approval.

“As foot traffic from the supermarket is key to delivering economic benefits to nearby retailers and food outlets in the precinct, we have no plans to split our application,” he said.

It cost ratepayers about $600,000 in legal fees when the council rejected the company’s 2010 bid to build a shopping centre at Gordonvale and lost the subsequent appeal in the Planning and Environment Court.

Brisbane firm McCullough Robertson Lawyers will represent the council in court.