Major revamp planned
A PROPOSED multi-milliondollar redevelopment of a major shopping centre in Brisbane’s south-west will create a purpose-built community hub as well as a new entertainment and leisure precinct with a cinema.
Co-owner of the Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre Vicinity Centres has lodged a development application with the Brisbane City Council for what the company’s regional general manager for development Mark Kelley described as a “significant investment”.
“It’s about being part of the community. We’re looking to create a real vibrant community place,” he said.
“There are a lot of young families in that area and there’s no entertainment offer currently within that catchment and this is a real opportunity to step into that.”
The development will increase the centre’s gross lettable area for 18 per cent with the 10,400sq m entertainment and leisure precinct which will have 10 new food and dining venues as well as the new nine theatre cinema.
The DA also proposes the integration of the existing council library into the centre and the creation of a new purpose-built community hub that will replace the ageing community building on Dandenong Rd.
It will also include an improved bus interchange and an increase in the free parking options available at the centre, further positioning Mt Ommaney as a community focal point.
Mr Kelley said operators for the cinema had been secured but could not be announced and the community centre would be relocated until the new one was built.
“We will also have an entertainment complex which is new and it will be more around a family entertainment offer,” he said. “We are creating a unique public realm as part of the entertainment precinct which will provide Mt Ommaney with a real point of difference.”
Mr Kelley said that when the DA was approved and there was approval from the board of the owners – Vicinity Centres and TH Real Estate – construction could start by the end of the year with completion at the end of 2019 or early 2020.